Local News: Leonardia Implements Order of Dismissal by Ombudsman

Having received the dismissal order from Ombudsman Visayas against 6 city hall employees on July 5, 2012, Mayor Evelio Leonardia implemented such order.

Four out of 6 city employees facing adminis-trative charges, in com-pliance with the Order of the Office of the Ombudsman in the Visayas. The case was filed by the Commission on Audit Regional Office VI against Management and Audit Service Office (ASO) officer-in-charge Ricardo Dahil Dahil Jr., Crafts and Trade helper Salvacion Ortega, Accountant IV Eduardo Ravena, Office of the City Treasurer Clerk II Lalaine Villalva, former Executive Assistant Renato Rojo and former City Accountant Pioquito Quiñones.

Rojo and Quiñones are both deceased, it was reported.

The administrative disciplinary cases against the six city employees stemmed from alleged tampering of receipts during the incumbency of former Mayor Luzviminda Valdez. A separate case was filed against Valdez before the Sandigan-bayan.

Through City Legal Officer Joselito Bayatan, Mayor Leonardia imme-diately issued a memo-randum order dated July 5, 2012 directing Dahildahil, Ortega, Ravena and Villalva dismissed from service.

In his memorandum dated July 5, 2012, Leonardia said he is implementing immediately the decision of their administrative case notwithstanding the pending resolution of their motion for reconsideration.

Leonardia cited the directive of acting director Juris Narvios-Tanco which stated that "The filing of the motion for reconsideration or a petition for review before the Office of the Ombudsman does not operate to stay the immediate implementation of the Ombudsman decisions, orders or resolutions."

Dahildahil, Ortega and Ravena were on leave while Villalva has refused to receive the order as the case is on appeal.

Bayatan said, in the event that the motion for reconsideration filed by the subject respondents are reversed in favor of them, the city will surely reinstate them. But in the meantime, the city will obey the decision of the Ombudsman.

Bayatan also said, although it pains them to see people lose their job while they have families to feed and children to be sent to school, however, they have to obey the order of the Ombudsman.*