Ombudsman slaps 1 year suspension vs public attorney

By: Ador Vincent S. Mayol September 15,2014 - 07:43 AM

The head of the Public Attorney’s Office in Central Visayas (PAO 7) has been suspended for one year for having an illicit relationship with a married policeman.

Regional Director Maria G-ree Calinawan was found guilty of “disgraceful and immoral conduct” by the Office of the Ombudsman which looked into the complaint filed by 21 PAO lawyers and employees.
According to the anti-graft office, the PAO official is unmarried but has a child with a policeman 10 years ago.

“The act of maintaining an illicit relationship with a married man comes within the purview of disgraceful and immoral conduct,” said graft investigation and prosecution officer Voltaire Africa whose decision was approved by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales.

PAO Chief Persida Rueda-Acosta was ordered by the Ombudsman to see to it that the penalty against Calinawan will be implemented.

In a text message to CDN, Calinawan said she has filed a motion for reconsideration before the anti-graft office to contest the ruling.

But she said the Ombudsman ruled that the verdict against her is already executory even pending resolution of her motion for reconsideration.

Calinawan’s suspension took effect last Sept. 1.

Barrage of cases

“I was found guilty on the basis of presumption. There is no proof at all that I had knowledge of his (policeman) marital status,” she said.

In 2008, Calinawan said a total of 11 administrative and criminal cases were filed against her, including accusations of graft, abuse of power, and issuing memoranda based on unsubstantiated information.

But all cases were eventually dismissed except for one.

“This being the only case that has nothing to do with my functions as a PAO employee,” said Calinawan alluding to the complaint that she had an illicit relationship and bore a child out of wedlock.

“It really hurts me to think that there are some people who are happy for my misfortunes,” she added.

A fact-finding inquiry by the Office of the Ombudsman in the Visayas yielded documents which confirmed that Calinawan gave birth in Quezon City on Oct. 25, 2004.

Abelardo Yumul Jr., the child’s father, “acknowledged” the child as shown in the birth record.

Police personnel records in Camp Crame also showed that the child’s father, Yumul, was married and a member of the Philippine National Police assigned at the National Capital Region in Camp Ricardo Papa, Taguig, Metro Manila.

PAO Chief Acosta was saddened with the suspension of Calinawan whom she said has been a very effective regional Public Attorney since the latter assumed in April 2007.

“Nakakaawa talaga. single mother pa siya. Hindi naman apektado yong trabaho niya sa kung ano man yong nangyari noon. (I really pity her. She’s a single mother and here comes a suspension. Her work as PAO regional director wasn’t affected by what happened to her in the past),” Acosta told Cebu Daily News over the phone yesterday.

“Maganda ang work ethics ni Atty. Calinawan. (Her work ethics are very good). She’s a good lawyer and administrator,” she added.

Despite Calinawan’s suspension, Acosta assured that the operations at the PAO regional office will not be affected.

“Operations at PAO shouldn’t be jeopardized. So far, everything’s fine. We haven’t encountered any problem in terms of operations yet,” she said.

While Calinawan is serving a suspension, lawyer Danilo Tenebro will serve as acting director of the PAO 7.

The conflict in the PAO regional office arose when 21 personnel of PAO-Cebu signed a petition, seeking the removal of Calinawan on allegations of graft, abuse of power, issuing memoranda based on unsubstantiated information and engaging in a relationship with a married man.

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