‘Dismissed’ engineers to remain at work

THE three government engineers who were ordered dismissed by the Office of the Ombudsman for allegedly extorting from a contractor will continue to report for work until after the order becomes final and executory, their boss at City Hall has said.

Jose Marie Poblete, who heads the Cebu City Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW), said the anti-graft office’s decision is not yet final and that the three respondents are contesting the verdict against them.

“Unless the ruling becomes final and executory, they will continue discharging their functions in the office,” Poblete said in a phone interview yesterday.

June Nadine Sison, assistant city engineer; Juanito Pua Jr., construction division head; and Joel Pasatiempo, project engineer were ordered dismissed from service after the

Ombudsman Visayas found them liable for grave misconduct, conduct prejudicial to the best interest of public service, and a violation of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

TRIAL

They will face trial in court for allegedly asking for a brand-new computer unit and a high-tech camera from a contractor of the Cebu City government.

Poblete said the three public officials are filing a motion for reconsideration before the Ombudsman Visayas, seeking for a reversal of the rulings on the administrative and criminal complaints against them.

“They are still exhausting all remedies under the law. So we won’t implement the dismissal order from the Ombudsman yet. What they are doing now is part of what we call due process,” he said.

Poblete admitted that the DEPW has been affected with the order to dismiss Sison, Pua and Pasatiempo.

“I feel DEPW will definitely be crippled in the event they will be removed from office. They are holding key positions and they are decision-makers in the DEPW,” he said.
Poblete said the three officials had to take a leave after they received the order from the anti-graft office as they need to consult their legal counsel.

“Hopefully, everything will be normalized. I hope they can work normally,” he said.

Roberto Montenegro of the FE and A Construction Services earlier accused the respondents of asking for a camera and computer unit to replace those that bogged down in the office.

FE and A Construction worked on the construction of a stone masonry in sitio riverside in Sanciangko Street in barangay Pahina Central and the Toong road concreting project when the alleged extortion attempt happened in 2012.