Ombudsman suspends 26 Mandaue employees for 9 months

The Mandaue City Hall. | CDN Digital file photo

LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu – The Office of the Ombudsman has found 26 employees of the Mandaue City Hall administratively liable for the demolition of the fence and putting padlocks on the gates of a property in Brgy. Paknaan that is the subject of an ownership dispute between the city government and two private claimants.

On December 19, 2024, Ombudsman Samuel Martires ordered the suspension for nine months of the concerned employees, including the OIC head of the Housing and Urban Development Office Johnbee Biton, assistant City Assessor Julius Caesar Entise, and the head of Mandaue City’s Janitorial Services Unit Teodorico Montojo II, without pay.

The decision stemmed from the complaint filed by Maria Priscila and Maritoni Melendres, who claim to own the property in Zone Ahos in Brgy. Paknaan, which the city government used as a relocation site for individuals living in danger zones.

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However, the Ombudsman had ordered dismissed the administrative complaints against the respondents who were also accused of oppression, grave misconduct, and violation of Section 4(c) of Republic Act 6713 or “An Act Establishing the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees..” for lack of substantial evidence.

“Makalipay gyud kaayo nga finally, nakab-ot namo ang hustisya. Dili lalim mabiktima ug grabeng pang-abuso gikan sa gobyerno sa Mandaue,” Maria Priscila said.

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(I am very happy that justice was finally served.  It is not easy to be a victim of abuses initiated by the Mandaue City Government.)

Oppression

Maria Priscilla and Maritoni earlier questioned why a Notice to Demolish the fence that they build to secure their property, that was issued by the Mandaue City Legal Officer, was addressed to the head of the Office of the Building Official (OBO) and not any of the respondents, who implemented the order on May 3, 2023.

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They alleged that the respondents also padlocked the gates of the property that they inherited from their grandmother.

Following the incident that happened on May 3, 2023, they filed a complaint for oppression, grave misconduct, conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, and violation of the Constitution and the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees against the 26 respondents.

They attached to their complaint some documents as proof that they own the property, although with annotation of the City’s claim.

In their counter-affidavit, the respondents said that they did not detain the complaints.  They only locked the three entrances to the property in question.

They also debunked claims made by the complainants that their grandmother was holder of a foreshore lease of the property in Brgy. Paknaan.

Administratively liable

In its order, the Ombudsman said that the respondents were found “administratively liable for conduct prejudicial to the best interest of service” because they were “not clothed with the authority” to execute the demolition.

“The City’s directive… was not expressly addressed to any of the respondents. Essentially, respondents were not clothed with any authority in doing the questioned demolition and padlocking. What is more, the same appears to have been done without going through the legal process,” read part of the decision.

In an indorsement letter dated January 24, 2025, Assistant Ombudsman Pilarita Lapitan informed Mandaue City’s Human Resource Division of the Ombudsman’s decision “for information and proper action.”