Gov't worker lies in PDS, gets fired for falsification

If you want to work for the government, remember that the Personal Data Sheet (PDS) is not a mere sheet of paper that you fill out. It is a sworn statement and you can be held liable for making false statements thereon. In fact, you can be fired from work if the Government finds out.On December 5, 2000, the Supreme Court upheld the dismissal of two government employees who put untruthful statements in their PDS.

CONSOLACION A. LUMANCAS and YOLANDO O. URIARTE were regular employees of the Philippine Postal Corporation in Tandag, Surigao del Sur. They were charged by their co-employee Virginia B. Intas, respondent herein, for making false entries in their respective Personal Data Sheets (PDS, [CSC Form 212]) regarding their educational attainment, resulting in their promotion to higher positions to the prejudice of other postal employees who had been in the service for a longer period.

As regular members of the career service, they are bound by the Civil Service Law and Rules. Chapter 7, Sec. 46, Book V, of EO 292 provides "x x x x b) The following shall be grounds for disciplinary action: (1) Dishonesty x x x x (2) Misconduct x x x x (13) Falsification of official document x x x x." It should be emphasized that this is an administrative case, not a criminal case; thus, petitioners’ argument that they were not charged with the proper offense under the Revised Penal Code is unimportant. Any of the above charges may be cited as grounds to subject them to disciplinary action.

The accomplishment of the PDS being a requirement under the Civil Service Rules and Regulations in connection with employment in the government, the making of an untruthful statement therein was, therefore, "intimately connected with such employment xxx." The filing of a Personal Data Sheet is required in connection with the promotion to a higher position and contenders for promotion have the legal obligation to disclose the truth. Otherwise, enhancing their qualifications by means of false statements will prejudice other qualified aspirants to the same position. (Lumancas vs. Intas, G.R. No. 133472, 347 SCRA 22)