SEVERAL employees of the payroll division of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority have been arrested over an illegal salary deduction scheme, according to MMDA chief Romando Artes.
Artes said that upon learning of the scheme last week, he instructed MMDA General Manager Procopio Lipana to arrest the employees.
“These unscrupulous personnel found a way to manipulate the computerized payroll system, unlawfully took small amounts from the salaries of targeted employees, and diverted those amounts to their own accounts,” Artes said in a statement.
He said further investigation exposed “a deeper conspiracy” among the employees. Artes declined to identify the personnel involved, how many were apprehended, the number of victims, or the conspiracy that their initial probe uncovered.
He said investigations are continuing as of press time.
“Formal complaints against these employees are being prepared and a strong case build-up is being done for the filing of non-bailable charges against the perpetrators. They were also placed under preventive suspension and their work computers were also secured,” he added.
The MMDA chief said an internal audit is also ongoing and measures are being readied to prevent a repeat of the incident.
“Rest assured that the MMDA will delve deeper into the matter and will make sure that all those responsible will be prosecuted and punished accordingly,” he added.
