Enforce Camarines Norte government dismissal, DILG told

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang has ordered the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to enforce an order of the Office of Ombudsman dismissing Camarines Norte Gov. Edgar Tallado.

Interior Secretary Mike Sueno said yesterday he has yet to receive a copy of the ombudsman ruling, but gave assurance that he would serve the suspension order.

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales said Tallado was found guilty of grave misconduct, oppression and abuse of authority for terminating provincial employees Milline Marie de la Cruz, Mark Anthony Mago, Maria Joanabelle Crisostomo and Shanta Baraquel in 2010.

Tallado was slapped with the accessory penalties of forfeiture of benefits and perpetual disqualification from holding public office.

The Civil Service Commission ordered the reinstatement of the dismissed employees. The Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court affirmed the CSC ruling.

 “A repeat offense…warrants heavier penalty considering that Tallado was previously found administratively liable…and meted the penalty of suspension for one year,” the ombudsman ruling stated.

Tallado is still serving a suspension for failing to reinstate a provincial veterinarian whom he dismissed in 2012. 

Last month, the ombudsman ordered Tallado’s suspension for six months for “disgraceful and immoral conduct” over his alleged extra-marital affairs.

Disqualification case dismissed

Meanwhile, Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar Moreno scored another legal victory after the Commission on Elections (Comelec) dismissed the disqualification case filed against him over an alleged anomalous tax deal with a private company.

Moreno’s lawyer Dale Bryan Mordeno said they received a copy of the Comelec decision on Thursday afternoon.

Last week, the CA reversed the decision of the Office of the Ombudsman to dismiss Moreno and city treasurer Glenn Bañez over the tax deal.

William Guialani, former village chairman of Taglimao, filed charges of grave misconduct and abuse of authority against Moreno and Bañez for accepting the offer of  Ajinomoto Philippines Corp. to pay P300,000 to settle its tax deficiency amounting to P2.9 million from 2006 to 2012. He said the city council did not approve the settlement. 

However, the CA said there is no substantial evidence to merit the dismissal of the respondents.

Moreno welcomed the Comelec ruling and expressed hope that the Sandiganbayan would dismiss the charges filed against them.

 “It was very obvious that the disqualification case filed with the Comelec had no legal or cogent basis,” he said. – With Gerry Lee Gorit