Palompon, Leyte Mayor Ramon Oñate. | contributed photograph
LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu – Plainly Palompon, Leyte Mayor Ramon Oñate is now in serious trouble after he acquired one other antagonistic ruling from the Workplace of the Ombudsman on a case that was filed towards him.
In a call dated September 24, 2024, Ombudsman Samuel Martires discovered Oñate and 10 others responsible of grave misconduct and severe dishonesty for the misappropriation of public funds for the acquisition of gas, oil and lubricant for 3 autos which were decommissioned and had been already past restore.
The opposite respondents of the case had been Sangguniang Bayan Members Margarito Bensig Jr. Esperanza Sumalinog, Emmanuel Laurente, Consuelo Bonghanoy, Ranulfo Gaspan Sr., Jonathan Yap, and Rene Camposano; drivers Alfredo Lubiano and Pablo Chavarria; and native legislative workers Debbi Ann Dignos.
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Oñate and the ten others had been ordered dismissed from service and their eligibility cancelled. On the similar time, the Ombudsman has ordered the forfeiture of their retirement advantages and their perpetual disqualification from authorities service pursuant to Part 10, Rule III of Administrative Order No. 07, as amended by Administrative Order No. 17, in relation to Part 25 of Republic Act No. 6770.
“In case the penalty of Dismissal can not be enforced because of respondents’ separation from the service, the penalty shall be transformed right into a FINE equal to their wage for one (1) 12 months, payable to the Workplace of the Ombudsman, and should de deducted from their retired advantages, accrued go away credit, or any receivables from their workplace,” learn a part of the choice.
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The Ombudsman’s resolution stemmed from a case filed by Ian Jay Arevalo, the late barangay captain of San Isidro, Palompon.
Abuse of energy
The following day or on September 25, the Ombudsman additionally ordered Oñate’s suspension for one 12 months with out pay after the he was discovered responsible of conduct prejudicial to the perfect curiosity of the service and easy neglect of responsibility.
CDN Digital was in a position to publish first concerning the Sept. 25 ruling after it secured a replica of the choice.
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In its Sept. 24 ruling, the Ombudsman stated that the complainant introduced information and proof as to the respondents’ abuse of their energy and positions by the misappropriation of public funds.
The choice locations the municipality of Palompon in an unprecedented government and legislative disaster, as not solely the municipal mayor was ordered dismissed but additionally the seven SB members.
Moreover, questions had been raised on the choice of Oñate to hunt reelection after he filed his Certificates of Candidacy final October 2, 2024.
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Disqualification
In an earlier interview, Comelec Chairman George Garcia stated that, “If a candidate has a perpetual disqualification to carry public workplace slapped by the Ombudsman, we’ll instantly implement that. We imagine that the choice of the Ombudsman is straight away executory though it will not be ultimate.”
The Ombudsman’s resolution on Oñate’s was already endorsed to the Division of the Inside and Native Authorities (DILG) on September 26, 2024.
Oñate stated in a press release that the grievance that Arevalo filed towards him was a mere rehash of an earlier grievance filed by the late Vergilio Padilla Jr., a former driver of LGU Palompon earlier than the Workplace of the Ombudsman within the Visayas final August 23, 2021.
In a joint decision dated February 2, 2023, the Workplace of the Ombudsman within the Visayas ordered the case dismissed. It stated that the SB Secretary, who was the approving officer for the issuance of a gas, oil and lubricant withdrawal slip and the driving force’s journey tickets, was the one accountable to appropriate the error.
And because the buy of oil, gas and lubricants had been accredited by the SB Secretary, the stated transaction was presumed so as.
As well as, this was not disallowed by the Fee on Audit (COA).
“The choice [of the Ombudsman] was a mere stash of political harassment,” Oñate stated.
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