Two Mandaue brgy captains ask Ombuds to reconsider suspension order

MANDAUE, CITY- Philippines — Citing the dismissal of criminal charges that were earlier filed against them, two Mandaue City barangay captains are asking the Office of the Ombudsman to reconsider the suspension order that was issued against them.

Alang-alang barangay captain Patricio Soco filed his motion for reconsideration before the Office of the Ombudsman on Friday, November 6.

Barangay Captain Ignacio Cortes II of the neighboring barangay of Centro is set to file his MR anytime this month.

The two were ordered suspended for two months pending investigation of alleged “anomalies” that they committed in the distribution of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) fund.

READ: Two Mandaue barangay captains suspended for 2 months

Soco questioned the issuance of the suspension order since criminal charges against him have already been ordered dismiss.  Only his administrative case remains pending with the Ombudsman, he said.

His only involvement in the SAP distribution was when he authorized the inclusion of the husband of his barangay secretary in the list of qualified beneficiaries for the P6, 000 cash aid, he said.

“Ako’ng Secretary nihangyo, nakadawat man to iya husband pero nakita man to nga eligible siya. Naa man sa kato’ng prosecutor’s office, dismissed, ” Soco said.

(My secretary asked if we could include her husband in the list of beneficiaries and he was found qualified to recieve the cash aid. A complaint questioning her husband’s inclusion in the list of beneficiaries have also been ordered dismissed by the prosecutor’s office.)

Soco was referring to an earlier complaint that was filed against him before the Mandaue City Prosecutor’s Office that was ordered dismissed.

Just like Soco, Cortes said that he was also cleared of criminals charges that were earlier filed against him.

He did not also receive a subpoena from the Office of the Ombudsman nor was he given a chance to answer the allegations against him prior to the issuance of the suspension order.

“We were not given a chance, diretso ba preventive (the suspension order was issued outright), ” Cortes said.

The two village chiefs are facing charges for the violation of  Republic Act (RA) 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, and Republic Act 11469, or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act.

They were ordered preventively suspended for 60 days starting on October 26, 2020.  In their absence, their barangay’s first councilors assumed as barangay captain.  / dcb