Ombudsman finds Banisilan ex-mayor guilty of misconduct

Office of the Ombudsman. NOY MORCOSO/INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

A former mayor of Banisilan, Cotabato was perpetually disqualified from holding public office after being found administratively guilty for appointing her nephew as the general manager of the Banisilan Water System.

In a statement, the Office of the Ombudsman found former Banisilan Mayor Betty Allado guilty of the administrative offenses of grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

The Ombudsman said Allado appointed her nephew, municipal administrator Jornalito Allado, as the general manager of the Banisilan Water System, which is tasked to manage and operate the municipality’s water system.

The Ombudsman said “(Mayor) Allado committed a misconduct attended by willful intent to violate the law or to disregard established rules in violation of the provisions of Presidential Decree No. 198 and Executive Order 292.”

Jornalito Allado was also dismissed from service after the Ombudsman found that he, as chairman of the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), awarded a consultancy service for the project “Sagana at Ligtas na Tubig sa Lahat” to Noel Bryan Tuling of JK Engineering Design and Consultancy Services without public bidding.

In 2012, the Banisilan municipality was a recipient of a project assistance having received P7 million for its implementation.

Tuling turned out to be Jornalito Allado’s brother-in-law, the Ombudsman said.

The procurement rules state that all bids should be accompanied by a sworn affidavit of the bidder that it is not related to the Head of the Procuring Entity (HOPE), members of BAC, and BAC Secretariat by consanguinity up to the third civil degree, the Ombudsman said.

“Jornalito’s failure to disclose this fact is tainted with the element of corruption as his omission gave an unwarranted benefit to Tuling,” the Ombudsman said.

The two Allados were thus, ordered dismissed from the service; in case of separation from the service, the penalty is convertible to a fine equivalent to their salary for one year.

The Ombudsman also found administratively liable the BAC members who allegedly failed to exercise due diligence in ensuring that Section 47 of Revised Implementation Rules and regulations (IRR) of the Government Procurement Reform Act is complied with.

The following BAC members who were suspended for one year after being found guilty of simple misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service were Jaime Alisasis, Ramil Jayma, Marietta Nonan, Ramon Capanang, Carmencita Bari, Andres Serue, Raymond Franco, Hilario Cabangon and Leopoldo Cascante Jr. JPV/rga