Ombudsman charges Duterte cousin for ignoring CSC order

Danao City Mayor Ramonito Durano III, a second cousin of President Rodrigo Duterte, has been charged in the Sandiganbayan for his refusal to reinstate city employees despite orders by the Civil Service Commission (CSC).

Ombudsman prosecutors indicted Durano for one count of violation of Section 67, Book V of the Administrative Code of 1987, in relation to Section 121 of the Revised Rules on Administrative Cases in the Civil Service.

Prosecutors said Durano “willfully, unlawfully and criminally refuse[d] or neglect[ed]” to implement the CSC regional office’s Aug. 14, 2014 decision and Oct. 28, 2014 resolution, despite these rulings being “final and executory” already.

The said orders directed the reinstatement of the employees, whose appointments Durano revoked in 2013, to their former positions. The city was also ordered to pay back wages, leave credits and other benefits.

The non-implementation of the CSC rulings came at “the prejudice of the said employees and detriment of public service,” stated the charge sheet signed by Assistant State Prosecutor III Jorge Espinal.

Three of the affected City Administrator’s Office employees — Orlando Dagatan, Amabella Gomez and Cecilia Lawas — will be presented as prosecution witnesses.

Durano was not required to post bail anymore because of the lightness of the offense.

The Ombudsman had already ordered Durano’s three-month suspension for the administrative offense of simple neglect of duty. The mayor served the penalty in March 2017. —Vince F. Nonato