26 suspended employees of Mandaue City file two MRs

Map of Mandaue City

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – The 26 suspended employees and \ Job Order employees of the Mandaue City Hall have filed two separate motions for reconsideration at the Office of the Ombudsman Visayas on Tuesday, Feb. 11.

Atty. Julius Caesar Entise, the suspended Mandaue City Assessor, explained that one motion was filed on his behalf, while another was submitted collectively for the remaining suspended employees.

“I have my own arguments and for sure another lawyer will have a new set of arguments, we’d rather attack it in two different angles, hopefully it will be more convincing to the Ombudsman,” said Entise.

Before his appointment as city assessor, Entise served as assistant city administrator, assistant legal officer, and assistant assessor during the 2023 demolition of the disputed lot in Barangay Paknaan.

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In their motions, the suspended employees assert that the demolition was both legal and authorized. They are seeking the Ombudsman’s reversal of its earlier decision.

“We are confident, we are optimistic. I trust the institution, I have full faith in the Ombudsman. We will present something that was not appreciated with this decision made, that was never brought to the attention of the Ombudsman,” said Entise.

He further explained that the demolition was carried out under a memorandum from the City Administrator’s Office, referencing the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s Opinion 16, Series of 2006, which permits mayors to order demolitions without a court order.

“Ang last part sa akoang MR; Good faith is presumed while bad faith must be proven, you have to prove that there is bad faith on our part, no there is not. We have no interest in that property, we have nothing to gain, we are just doing our job,” Entise added.

Earlier, the Ombudsman found the 26 suspended employees “administratively liable for conduct prejudicial to the best interest of service” due to their involvement in the demolition. They were suspended for nine months without pay.

This decision followed a complaint from Maria Priscilla and Maritoni Melendres, who alleged that the officials demolished structures on their property without a court order.

The land in Barangay Paknaan is claimed by both the Melendres family and the city government. The city has used the area as a relocation site for individuals living in danger zones.

Entise argues that the disputed lot is owned by the city government. He noted that the foreshore lease agreement between the government and Pastora Senerpida, grandmother of Priscilla, which began in 1977, expired in 2002 and was not renewed. The land was previously used as a fishpond.

“Kanus-a man nahitabo nga ang nag-abang nahimo’ng tag-iya? Unsa man ni rent to own? Ni-expire na and it was not renewed. Point is ang nag-abang ang iya’ng lola, ngano’ng siya (Priscilla) mahimo’ng tag-iya nga nag-abang ra man siya. Nagtuo manggud sila nga ang tax declaration is equivalent to title. No, it is not considered a title,” said Entise.