Ombudsman places Catanduanes vice gov under preventive suspension over cash aid mess

The Office of the Ombudsman on Friday ordered a six-month preventive suspension without pay against Catanduanes Vice Governor Robert Fernandez and 11 other Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) members over alleged grave misconduct and other related administrative offenses concerning the utilization of the province’s P30.5 million Quick Response Fund (QRF).

The Ombudsman, in a statement, said the administrative complaints and subsequent suspension order stemmed from the respondents’ revision of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council’s (PDRRMC)’s proposed utilization and allocation of the QRF by using P26 million of the P30.5 million QRF for distribution of cash assistance instead of goods following the onslaught of Super Typhoon Uwan in November 2025.

The complaints against the respondents were filed by Catanduanes Governor Patrick Azanza, who vetoed the action of the Fernandez and the others provided under the Sangguniang Panlalawigan ordinance by citing that the Joint Circular 2013-1 does not include cash assistance among the allowable immediate response activities.

“The Office finds sufficient grounds to preventively suspend herein respondents considering that there is strong evidence showing their guilt; the charges against them involve grave misconduct, grave abuse of authority and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service which may warrant their removal from the service,” the nine-page Ombudsman Order dated May 22 read.

“Their continued stay in office may prejudice the investigation of the case filed against them; there is a need to preserve the documents and evidence pertaining to this case which they may have control and custody in order to avoid further commission of malfeasance and/or misfeasance in office,” the Ombudsman added.

Aside from Fernandez, others suspended by the Ombudsman include Sangguniang Panlalawigan members Josevan Balidoy, Giovanni Balmadrid, Jose Romeo Francisco, Alvin Rodriguez, Edwin Tanael, Lorenzo Templonuevo Jr., Arnel Turado, Dean Roberto Vergara, Tito Villamor, Santos Zafe and Rafael Zuniega.

Under the terms of the order, the respondents are placed under suspension without pay for a period not to exceed six months pending the final termination of the administrative adjudication of their case.

'Not a final ruling of guilt'

In a statement on Friday, Fernandez said that a "preventive suspension is not a penalty, nor is it a final ruling of guilt."

"We are completely ready to address and answer every single allegation legally and transparently through the proper channels. The policy disagreements cited in the complaint—including budget deliberations and local appointments—reflect the necessary checks-and-balances of a functioning, independent legislative branch," he added.

Fernandez said that the Sangguniang Panlalawigan had prioritized immediate and direct cash assistance so that the affected residents "could directly buy what they urgently needed to rebuild their lives."

"We firmly believe that fighting for the welfare and immediate relief of our calamity-stricken citizens is not misconduct—it is our highest duty as elected officials," he said. —VAL/VBL, GMA News