A.M. No. P-06-2243 - IN RE: Razon, Magtuloy, and Morales

On 7 September 2004, during a spot check conducted by Executive Judge Pamela Ann A. Maxino at the Municipal Trial Court- Office of the Clerk of Court (MTC-OCC), irregularities in the logbook and Daily Time Record (DTR)/bundy clock entries were noted.
It was observed that while most court employees logged in during the morning, many failed to record proper log-out and log-in entries, with several entries not capturing actual times of departure or arrival.
Specifically, Clerk of Court Raquel D.J. Razon’s DTR showed a log-out entry at 12:00 noon and a log-in entry at 12:06, despite her physical absence from the office as confirmed by her staff.

Morales testified that Ms. Razon registered her time card one morning before leaving the office.
Before departing, she instructed him to punch her time card while she was out, believing that doing so would avoid the appearance of an absence.

Mr. Magtuloy stated that after punching his own card near the bundy clock, he was handed Ms. Razon’s time card by Mr. Morales.
He recorded the log-out and log-in times (12:00 and 12:06, respectively) for Ms. Razon, acting on the information that she was on official business.

Ms. Razon, in her comment dated 20 November 2004, admitted to instructing Mr. Morales to handle her DTR because she was on official business at the Supreme Court.
She explained that her inability to secure a travel authority and other required documents led her to resort to this method, though she maintained that she did not believe it would cause harm.
Subsequent commentaries by Mr. Magtuloy and Mr. Morales corroborated that they were simply following instructions, citing their unfamiliarity with the proper use of the newly introduced bundy clock system.

Judge Maxino, aiming to protect the integrity of the timekeeping system, ordered the removal of the bundy clock from the MTC-OCC premises and transferred it to the RTC-OCC office.
Personnel across various branches (MTC-OCC, MTC-Branch 4, and MTC-Branch 2) were required to use the secured bundy clock at RTC, Branch 51.
An investigation was initiated to determine how the anomaly in the DTR entries occurred, with the Office of the Court Administrator (OCA) later recommending the case be re-docketed as a regular administrative matter.

The investigation revealed that Ms. Razon had intentionally instructed a subordinate to manipulate her logbook entries, thus making it appear that she was present when she was away on official business.
This act was considered a violation of OCA Circular No. 7-2003, which mandates that every court official must record true and accurate times of arrival and departure.
It was emphasized that the personal act of punching one’s own DTR cannot be delegated to others, highlighting the gravity of falsification.
The records indicated that this action was not an isolated error but a deliberate misrepresentation, reflecting poorly on the integrity required of someone in her position.

Ms. Razon was to be reprimanded with a stern warning.
Mr. Morales and Mr. Magtuloy were admonished and sternly warned that any repetition of such conduct would lead to a more severe penalty.

Additional recommendations included provisions to improve timekeeping systems and security, such as consolidating bundy clocks and assigning a security guard to monitor their usage.

Whether the instructions given by Clerk of Court Raquel D.J. Razon to delegate the punching of her daily time record to subordinate employees violated the mandatory guidelines on recording actual time attendance.
Whether the act of falsification—by recording entries that did not reflect her actual presence in the office—constitutes an offense of dishonesty in connection with falsifying an official document.
Whether the delegation of one’s personal DTR responsibilities to others effectively undermines the integrity of the court’s record-keeping system, as mandated by OCA Circular No. 7-2003.
Whether the mitigating circumstances, such as the respondents’ explanation of unfamiliarity with the bundy clock system and prior service records, justify a lesser penalty.