Ombudsman orders dismissal of 6 gov't

auditors
Carolyn Bonquin, ABS-CBN News
Posted at 11/06/15 10:23 AM
MANILA - The Ombudsman has ordered the dismissal of six government auditors for grave misconduct after
receiving multi-million peso worth of compensation and bonuses from the Local Water Utilities Administration from
2006 to 2010.
Aside from dismissal, the following state auditors are also perpetually disqualified for reemployment in the
government service with cancellation of civil service eligibility and forfeiture of retirement benefits:
Juanito Daguno, Jr.,
Proceso Saavedra,
Teresita Tam,
Corazon Cabotage,
Evangeline Sison, and
Vilma Tiongson,

Also included in the dismissal order are data machine operators Violeta Gamil and Roberto Villa.
They are also facing criminal indictment for violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, together with the
following COA executives:

Edna Anical

Thelma Baldovino

Evelyn De Leon

Nestorio Ferrera

Zoharayda Obog

Ligaya Principio

Jesusa Punsalan

Paulino Sarmiento

Meanwhile, LWUA executives Lorenzo Jamora, Wilfredo Feleo, Orlando Hondrade and Daniel Landingin were found
guilty of simple misconduct, and were ordered suspended for six months without pay.
The Ombudsman's investigation disclosed that Jamora and other LWUA executives approved and signed Letters of
Instructions for the issuance of checks for LWUA and COA personnel's irregular bonuses from 2006 to 2010.
The money given to the following LWUA and COA personnel amounted to P25 million:

Edna Anical, P789,000

Thelma Baldovino, P886,000

Evelyn De Leon, P517,000

Juanito Daguno, Jr., P615,000

Nestorio Ferrera, P961,000

Violeta Gamil, P834,000

Zoharayda Obog, P658,000

Ligaya Principio, P642,000

Jesusa Punsalan, P602,000

Proceso Saavedra, P692,000

Paulino Sarmiento, P703,000

Teresita Tam, P592,000

Roberto Villa, P650,000

Corazon Cabotage, P542,000

Evangeline Sison, P183,000, and

Vilma Tiongson, P164,000.

The resolution stated that the amount given were huge and arbitrary. The COA machine operator assigned at LWUA
received P140,000 and P43,000 in November 2006. They each received bonuses twice a month in November 2006,
September and December 2007, September and December 2008, and March 2010.
"The patent disregard of the existing policy of their own institution against the practice of receiving additional
compensation cannot be deemed a mere lapse of judgment. Respondents, being state auditors and employees of
COA itself, are presumed to know the prohibition," the resolution read.

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales explained, "COA auditors and employees were obviously motivated by
malicious intent to favor self-interest at the expense of the public and that their acts are contrary to accepted rules of
right and duty, honesty and good morals.
The Ombudsman also said that the LWUA executives' "stamp of approval and authorization for fund disbursement as
payment for the questioned benefits is a clear transgression of the Salary Standardization Law and other COA
regulations.

Ombudsman orders dismissal of 3

Mindanao mayors
ABS-CBNnews.com
Posted at 11/05/15 6:21 PM
MANILA Three Mindanao mayors were dismissed from service and are no longer allowed to hold public office, the
Office of the Ombudsman said Thursday.
Dismissed from service were Cagayan de Oro (CDO) City Mayor Oscar Moreno, Matanao, Davao del Sur Mayor
Vicente Fernandez, and Ditsa-an Ramain, Lanao del Sur Mayor Mamintal Adiong.
The three mayors and 27 other officials were dismissed for committing grave misconduct, serious dishonesty, gross
neglect of duty, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.
Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales said Moreno's dismissal from service stems from his government's entry into a
settlement agreement with Ajinomoto Philippines which allowed the latter to pay P300,000 instead of its original local
business tax deficiency of P2.9 million.
Morales said the agreement was made without prior authorization from the Sangguniang Panlungsod, in violation of
Republic Act 7160 (The Local Government Code).
Dismissed together with Moreno was Glenn Baez, officer-in-charge of the Treasurer's Office.
Fernandez, meanwhile, was found to be discharging his functions as mayor even while in detention and facing
charges for the killing of a journalist.
Adiong was found guilty of grave abuse of authority, grave misconduct and oppression for ordering the burning of a
truck owned by JERA General Construction which was hired by the Lanao del Sur Electric Cooperative, Inc.
(LASURECO) to install concrete electric posts and distribution lines in the municipality.
3 MAYORS, 4 VICE-MAYORS FACING CRIMINAL RAPS
Last month, former CDO Mayor Vicente Emano, Tandag City Mayor Alexander Pimentel, Isulan, Sultan Kudarat
Mayor Diosdado Pallasigue, four vice-mayors and 30 other local officials in Mindanao were criminally indicted for
various charges.

Emano was charged for allegedly refusing to implement a final and executory decision of the Civil Service
Commission (CSC), in violation of the Revised Administrative Code of 1987.
His case stems from the a complaint filed by Administrative Assistant III Leonor Esparcia who was demoted as
watchman at the city library. Esparcia brought the matter to the CSC and eventually won. However, Emano allegedly
refused to reinstate Esparcia in her original position.
In the case of Pimentel, the Ombudsman said he committed graft when he allegedly refused to pay Mario Cuartero, a
member of the Sangguniang Panlungsod, the total amount of P 485,369.24 representing the latter's salaries,
allowances and bonuses from July 2010 to June 2011.
The Ombudsman said Pallasigue, meanwhile, also committed graft when he refused to reinstate Municipal Planning
and Development Coordinator Elias Segura, Jr. in March 2014.