8 Antique board members suspended over delay in budget passage

Inquirer files

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — Eight members of the Antique provincial board have been suspended by the Office of the Ombudsman over complaints that they caused the delay in passing the province’s supplemental budget worth P1.07 billion.

Ordered suspended for six months were Board Members Victor Condez, Alfie Jay Niquia, Mayella Mae Plameras-Ladislao, Rony Molina, Egidio Elio, and ex-officio members Kenneth Dave Gasalao, Julius Cezar Tajanlangit and Plaridel Sanchez IV.

In an Aug. 1 order, Ombudsman Samuel Martires said his office found “sufficient grounds to preventively suspend herein respondents, considering that there is strong evidence showing their guilt.”

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The suspension stemmed from complaints filed by Rey Ventura, barangay captain of Bontol in Sibalom town, and Steph Siblag, president of Amazing Youth Antique. They accused the board members of grave misconduct, abuse of authority and neglect of duty under the 2017 Revised Rules on Administrative Cases in the Civil Service.

In April, Antique Gov. Rhodora Cadiao submitted a P1.07-billion supplemental budget that included the P190-million allocation for solar power systems for eight hospitals as endorsed by the Department of Energy.

The Ombudsman said the respondents “deliberately delayed action” on the supplemental budget when it was taken up during their regular session on May 20 and May 27. The board’s June 3 session had to be adjourned due to a lack of quorum after the eight board members staged a boycott.

As a result, the allocation for the installation of a photovoltaic system in eight hospitals and solar-powered streetlights, as well as the purchase of a home solar system, was set aside.