Ombudsman issues 6 month preventive suspension vs 12 officials in flood control mess

The Office of the Ombudsman has imposed a six-month preventive suspension on 12 government officials linked to alleged anomalies in a P289 million flood control project in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.

Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano said Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla issued the preventive suspension against officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Mimaropa and its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) on October 23.

Those covered by the preventive suspension order are:

• Gerald Pacanan, DPWH regional director
• Gene Ryan Altea, DPWH assistant regional director
• Ruben D.S. Santos, DPWH assistant regional director
• Montrexis Tamayo, DPWH OIC-chief, Planning and Design Division
• Dominic Serrano, DPWH construction division chief and Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) chairperson
• Dennis Abagon, DPWH OIC-chief, Quality Assurance and Hydrology Division, BAC regular member 
• Juliet Calvo, DPWH Maintenance Division Chief 
• Lerma Cayco, DPWH accountant IV
• Felisardo Casuno, DPWH project engineer III 
• Grace Lopez, BAC member
• Frierich Karl Camero, Legal Division Chief and
• Timojen Sacar, materials engineer

“This [preventive suspension] stemmed from the administrative case that was instituted simultaneously with the criminal charge,” Clavano said in a statement.

He was referring to the DPWH-Mimaropa officials’ alleged violation of Sections 4(a), 7(a) and (b) of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, as recommended by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI).

Earlier, Pacanan, Altea, Santos, Tamayo, Serrano, Abagon, Calvo, Cayco, and Casuno pleaded not guilty to the malversation charge filed against them in connection with the substandard flood control project in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro. 

The nine were arraigned before the Sandiganbayan 6th Division on Tuesday.

The Lim & Yutatco-Sze Law Firm which represents Altea, Santos, Serrano, Tamayo, Calvo Abagon and Cayco has maintained that the flood control project in question is serviceable. — JMA, GMA Integrated News