Dalaguete, Cebu mayor suspended for TS Queenie boat sinking

The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the three-month suspension of Mayor Ronald Allan Cesante of Dalaguete, Cebu over the sinking of a fishing boat during the onslaught of Tropical Storm Queenie in November 2014.

In a press statement on Monday, the Ombudsman said it found Cesante guilty of simple misconduct and neglect of duty for being directly responsible for the sinking of the boat owned by complainants Rusell and Jowleyn Heredia.

Records obtained by the Ombudsman showed that the boat was in the custody of the municipal government for violating the Fisheries Code.

The boat sank during the storm despite the owners' requests for the local government to transfer it to a safer location.

The Ombudsman found fault in the actions of Cesante and his co-accused, saying it was their responsibility to preserve the seized fishing boat.

“The record establishes respondents’ failure to preserve the vessel seized.  Despite repeated requests to transfer the vessel to a safer location amidst the coming typhoon, the respondents have the complainants the run-around to avoid the responsibility of giving the clearance to move the vessel," the Ombudsman said.

"Their failure to act on said requests constitutes negligence. In the present situation, respondents fell short of the reasonable diligence required of them, for failing to exercise due care and prudence in addressing the complainants’ reasonable request to transfer the vessel,” it added.

Aside from Cesante, the Ombudsman also ordered the suspension of then-municipal administrator Rydal Cisneros, chief of police Clito Pia, division head Almar Villahermosa, agricultural technician Juana Tangpos, Peter Bejarasco, and municipal deputy fish wardens Felipe Calisang and Juan Millan.

The Ombudsman directed the Department of the Interior and Local Government to implement the suspension. — BM, GMA News