Ombudsman indicts 8 Iloilo water execs, personnel on cash gifts

ILOILO CITY—The Ombudsman has indicted eight former and current officials and employees of the Metro Iloilo Water District (MIWD) for availing themselves of a suspended financial assistance and cash gifts.

In a nine-page resolution approved on Oct. 28, the Ombudsman-Visayas found probable cause to indict former MIWD directors Dr. Rolando Padilla Sr., Prudencio Relano Jr., Oscar Uy, Ricardo Quiras, Pablo Bercilla and lawyer Oscar Tagamolila.

They were accused of violation of Republic Act No. 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act) after they granted themselves year-end financial assistance (Yefa) and P5,000 each in cash gifts in 2012, totaling P243,720.

Also indicted were employees Erwin Somes and Antonio Ramirez. Somes, who was not covered by the grant, was indicted for recommending the release of the voucher.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Padilla and Tagamolila denied the charges and stressed that there was no malice in their passing of a resolution granting to themselves the Yefa and cash gift. They said they would appeal the resolution.

The antigraft body also found the respondents administratively liable for conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service and meted the penalty of suspension for six months and one day with accessory penalties.

Only Ramirez and Somez remain with the MIWD.

The Ombudsman said in its resolution that the respondents granted to themselves benefits unauthorized by law because the granting of assistance and cash gift was suspended by the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA).

“There was manifest partiality and evident bad faith when (respondents) granted themselves a Yefa and cash gift in violation of the existing LWUA memorandum circular … ,” according to the resolution approved by Paul Elmer Clemente, Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas.

The respondents received the following amounts: Padilla (P32,840), Quiras (P32,840), Relano (P32,840), Uy (P32,840), Ramirez (P15,000), Tagamolila (P28,200) and Bercilla (P32,840).

Tagamolila said the board resolution provided for the reimbursement by the payees in case the payment was disapproved. He pointed out that the respondents refunded the amount paid to them to the MIWD.

Quiras and Ramirez refunded the amount they received on July 23, 2014.

Padilla paid the MIWD back the amount given to him on March 10 while Relano, Tagamolila and Uy refunded the amount on March 13, 2015.

But the Ombudsman said in its resolution that the reimbursements “did not erase the fact that they granted themselves … unwarranted benefits.”

Tagamolila, former corporate secretary, also pointed out that under Republic Act No. 10149 or the Government-Owned and Controlled Corporation (GOCC) Governance Act of 2011, that after the Commission on Audit (COA) determines that an incentive received by a director or officer of a GOCC is in excess of what is authorized by law, a demand for restitution or refund should be issued before any legal action can progress.