CSC warns gov’t employees:

Submission of fake credentials an

offense of ‘serious dishonesty’
Published April 19, 2021, 11:17 AM
by Charissa Luci-Atienza  

This was the reminder issued by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) on Monday, April 19,
as it warned government employees against falsifying their credentials and submitting
spurious documents to qualify for a particular position, saying that is now considered as
“serious dishonesty”.

Fake credentials an offense of serious dishonesty – CSC

19 April 2021 - Government employees who misrepresent education,
experience, training, and eligibility qualifications to qualify for a
particular position will be charged with serious dishonesty.

This was stressed by the Civil Service Commission as it issued Resolution

No. 2100079 or the Revised Rules on the Administrative Offense of
Dishonesty. The new resolution aims to further clarify and define the
parameters of the classifications of dishonesty in order to aid disciplining
authorities in charging the proper offense.

Dishonesty refers to the “concealment or distortion of truth, which shows

lack of integrity or a disposition to defraud, cheat, deceive or betray and an
intent to violate the truth.”

Along with misrepresenting qualifications, the submission of fake and/or

spurious credentials relative to one’s employment is also considered
serious dishonesty under the resolution.

Dishonest acts
The rules on dishonesty can serve as a deterrent for corruption. It
considers Serious Dishonesty such acts that involve grave abuse of
authority, and those where the respondent is an accountable officer and
which involves property, accountable forms, or money with the intent to
commit material gain, graft, and corruption.

Other circumstances constituting the administrative offense of Serious

Dishonesty include acts causing serious damage and grave prejudice to
the government such as when the integrity of the office is tarnished or its
operations are affected; those exhibiting moral depravity regardless of
whether the act is in connection with the performance of duties or not; and
those involving civil service examination irregularity or fake civil service
eligibility.

Serious Dishonesty is punishable by dismissal from the service, which

carries with it cancellation of eligibility, perpetual disqualification from
holding public office, bar from taking civil service examinations, and
forfeiture of retirement benefits.

Falling under the offense of Less Serious Dishonesty are acts causing less
serious damage and prejudice to the government; those involving sums of
money or government property where the respondent is not an accountable
officer; taking advantage of one’s position in committing the dishonest act
but not for personal gain or benefit; or taking advantage of one’s position in
committing the dishonest act but nonetheless benefiting from it.

Less Serious Dishonesty is punishable by suspension from the government

service for a period of six (6) months and one (1) day to one (1) year for the
first offense and dismissal from the service for the second offense.

Circumstances constituting Simple Dishonesty include those that have no

direct relation to or does not involve the duties or responsibilities of the
respondent, and did not cause damage or prejudice to the government; or
falsification of any official document where the act did not cause damage or
prejudice to the government or the information falsified is not related to
one’s employment. If the respondent did not take advantage of his/her
position in committing the dishonest act, and the act did not result in any
personal gain or benefit nor caused damage and prejudice to the
government, it may also be considered as Simple Dishonesty.
Simple Dishonesty is punishable by suspension from the government
service for a period of one (1) month and one (1) day to six (6) months for
the first offense; six (6) months and one (1) day to one (1) year suspension
for the second offense; and dismissal from the service for the third offense.