Ombudsman suspends 8 Antique board members

SUSPENDED. The Provincial Board of Antique during one of their regular sessions in this undated photo. The Office of the Ombudsman, on Aug. 1, ordered the preventive suspension without pay of eight members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan not exceeding six months, pending the adjudication of their administrative case. (PNA file photo by AJPetinglay)

ILOILO CITY — The Office of the Ombudsman suspened for six months eight members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan over their “deliberate action” to delay the P1.07 billion supplemental budget of the province.

In a six-page order signed by Ombudsman Samuel Martirez on Aug.1, Board Members Egidio P. Elio, Rony L. Molina, Victor R. Condez, Alfie Jay O. Niquia, Plaridel E. Sanchez IV, Mayella Mae P. Ladislao, Kenneth Dave B. Gasalao, and Julius Cedar O. Tajanlangit, were ordered suspended without pay not exceeding six months as “there is strong evidence showing their guilt.”

“The office finds sufficient grounds to preventively suspend herein respondents considering that there is strong evidence showing their guilt…” on charges of grave misconduct, oppression, grave abuse of authority, gross neglect of duty under the 2017 Revised Rules of Administrative Cases in the Civil Service and the Republic Act 6713 or the Norms of Conduct of Public Officials and Employees.

The Ombudsman found that the respondents “deliberately delayed action” on Supplemental Budget No.1, amounting to P1.07 billion, during their regular session on May 20 and 27.

The respondents also “boycotted” their regular session on June 3, thus resulting in the adjournment for lack of quorum.

The adjournment resulted in setting aside the budget to install a photovoltaic system in eight hospitals, the purchase of a home solar system, and the installation of solar-powered streetlights.

“In effect, it deprived the 200 barangays of the province of Antique and about 15,000 households of home solar systems,” said the order.

The suspension order takes effect immediately. (With reports from Eljolene Tacadao – WVSU OJT / PNA)