The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) has filed a complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman on Friday against Atty. Rodolfo A. Sol Jr., the Register of Deeds of Calamba City due to the delay in the processing of applications and alleged "fixing" in his office.
The complaint cites him for allegedly violating of Section 21(f) of R.A. 11032 in relation to Section 8 and 9(f). The law is known as the "Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018."
ARTA Director General Greco Belgica said that they acted on anonymous complaints made against Sol and his office. They conducted an investigation on September 8 to validate the accusations made against him.
What they found out was that a quota or cut-off system was being implemented in Sol’s office. People were queuing as early as 12 a.m. just to meet the cut-off, and they were even asked to go out of the office once it's lunch time.
A second investigation was conducted on September 22. That day, people lined up as early as 3:30 in the morning and once again, the office closed its doors from 12 to 1 p.m. for their lunch break.
Belgica said that refusal to entertain applicants within working hours is a violation of the law. The maximum quota application per day is likewise a violation of the law, because it results in the refusal to accept applications of people who are already in the premises of the agency during work hours.
"From these investigations, the Authority finds that Sol failed to attend to applicants or requesting parties who are within the premises of the office or agency concerned prior to the end of official working hours and during lunch break," the letter addressed to Ombudsman Samuel Martires read.
The investigating team also noted that there was a "fixer" inside Sol Jr.'s office, and this was supported by the Joint Affidavit filed by Glendol Badon and Mona-Liza Visorde.
"Ang nangyari tuloy ay ala una, ala dos o alas tres nang umaga pumipila para mauna kasi pag umabot sa maximum quota limit ay hindi na tatanggapin ang papel mo. Ang masama pa sa nangyati dito ay nagsasara pa sila ng opisina pag tanghali para kumain habang ang mga tao ay hirap na hirap na nakapila sa labas, (What happened here was that people are lining up as early as one, two, or three in the morning just to make the maximum quota limit. If not, their papers will no longer be accepted. What's worse is that the office closes for noon breaks while people are having a tough time falling in line outside)," said Belgica.