Senator Raffy Tulfo on Monday lashed out at heads of a department store for allegedly employing a system that abuses their cashiers.
In a privilege speech during the public hearing of Senate Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resources Development joint with Ways and Means chaired by Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, Tulfo said some cashiers were accused of stealing cash after accounting of the store’s daily transactions without enough evidence.
Tulfo said a certain cashier, who just recently started working for the store, was allegedly forced by the Landmark Store Makati head of security department to admit to a wrongdoing after almost P5,000 went missing in a day’s transaction.
“Doon sa treasury, wala naman po problema okay naman po. Doon sa accounting, ok naman po ang mga tally sheet pero kulang siya ng almost P5,000,” Tanudtanud said.
“Chine-check 'yung mga dokumento, wala ho kasing makitang pinanggalingan ng shortage. Pero may shortage sa cash transaction. 'Yung sinurrender... na cash, nung binangga sa report, kulang,” Atty. Valentino Dionela, counsel of the Landmark Management said.
Tulfo questioned the store’s security head who allegedly based his conclusions on cashier's personal life.
“Ano'ng kinalaman ng nanay, live-in partner, at iba pang kamag-anak na inimbestigahan mo for being short? Ganoon ba ang tinuro sa inyo sa pag-iimbestiga,” the senator said.
When asked for any evidence of wrongdoing, the head of security could not offer any.
“Kung kayo ay mag-o-audit ng mga kahera pagkatapos ng kanilang duty, 'di ba dapat sa harap nila nagbibilangan? 'Di 'yung wala na sila, and then pagbalik nila kinabukasan tsaka niyo sasabihin na sila ay short,” Tulfo said.
But the Landmark management insisted that the cashiers were present during the accounting.
“Documented po 'yan 'your honor, nakalagay po diyan lahat ng inendorse niyang pera. Bilang po 'yan, binibilang po nila ang pera nila tapos sina-submit po nila sa supervisor. Sila ang nagbibilang ng pera,” Landmark Store Country Manager Josefina Miclat said.
But if there was still short of cash, Tulfo suggested that there must be checking right away.
“Di ma-che-check kasi gabi po, kinabukasan na po,” Miclat said.
This practice is unacceptable with Tulfo.
“Wala po kaming sinasabing confidential,” Miclat said, adding that some changes are being made.
The senator also strongly suggested that CCTV cameras be installed the cashier’s area to boost security.
Senator Ronald “Bato” De la Rosa, who attended the hearing, urged the store to improve their system.
“Kayong nasa taas tingnan ninyo ang welfare ng mga tao ninyo sa baba, kawawa. Imbes na gipitin niyo sila, alagaan ninyo sila. Umaasa sila sa inyo eh,” De la Rosa said.
The former PNP chief advised Tanudtanud to improve ways when investigating incidents.
“If you consider that employee as a suspect in whatever crime, remember palagi ‘you have a right to remain silent, to have an attorney or counsel of your own choice. Everything you say may used against you in the court of law.’ dapat ganun palagi ang treatment hindi 'yung gagamitan ng coercion,” De la Rosa said.