4 Davao del Sur execs sacked on graft charges

DIGOS CITY, Davao del Sur – Governor Douglas Cagas confirmed on Saturday he has dismissed four provincial capitol employees on orders from the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with the provincial government’s purchase of computers without proper documentation in 2003.

Cagas said that a few days after he sacked Richard Martel, head of the accounting department; Allan Putong, head of the Provincial General Services Office; Abel Guiñares, provincial treasurer; and Bernardo Quipit, former provincial administrator, he received another Ombudsman dismissal order against the same officials, this time for allegedly questionable purchases of rice in 2005.

Former officials, including Victoria Mier, who resigned as provincial budget officer; former provincial board member Edgar Gan; former legislative officer Agnes Renoy, now deceased; and two other employees, were also ordered dismissed but Cagas said they were not in government service anymore.

Cagas pointed out that the alleged offenses cited by the Ombudsman were committed under the administration of his predecessor, Benjamin Bautista Jr., who is now mayor of Malita.

In the first order dated June 14, which was received by the provincial government on July 28, Acting Ombudsman Orlando Casimiro said the officials approved in 2003 the purchase of some P750,000 worth of personal computers and laptops from an unauthorized dealer even if there was no procurement program.

The act, Casimiro said, constituted dishonesty, grave misconduct, and gross neglect of duty, which are punishable by dismissal from the government.

“Such procurement is a violation of section 73 of RA 7160 and section 8 of COA circular 92-386,” Casimiro said.

The Ombudsman said the officials “miserably failed to carry out their respective duties and found them dishonest, which was a serious offense that has debilitating effect on public service.”

In another order, Casimiro said the purchase of the rice was also unauthorized and required dismissal from the government service.

Casimiro stressed that “an appeal shall not stop the decision from being executory.”

Cagas said the officials involved have not filed any appeal to date and did not contest the implementation of the order.

Cagas said the removal of the officials was painful for him but he could not do anything except to enforce the order because he too would be in trouble if he did not comply.

“They were also victims here. They could have been used to disadvantage the government by the former administration,” he said.