CEBU City Mayor Michael Rama signed the order dismissing from service an executive assistant in his office who was found guilty of grave misconduct by the Ombudsman-Visayas.
Ruben Baculi, former councilman of barangay Guadalupe, is also disqualified from holding public office in relation to the alleged misuse of P6.5 million in pork barrel funds under the office of former Cebu City south district congressman Antonio Cuenco.
The dismissal order came after the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) called on the Cebu City government to dismiss Baculi.
Baculi was one of several barangay officials of Guadalupe ordered dismissed by the Ombudsman for purchasing seedlings, hoses and pipes worth P6.5 million in 2006 and 2007 without undergoing competitive bidding.
Baculi said he doesn’t know about the order.
“I wasn’t called by the City Legal Office on this. But I will accept the order,” he said./Correspondent Nestle L. Semilla
Councilor nixes apology from cops
DESPITE a written apology from two Toledo City police officers, suspended Pinamungajan Councilor Jeffrey Anthony Yapha said he hopes that they will be dealt with seriously by their superiors.
Last Thursday, SP01 Ahmed Barquin and P03 Carlos Barluado reported that Yapha was arrested in his home in barangay Poblacion, Toledo City after the police served the arrest warrant on him.
The arrest warrant was issued by Toledo City Regional Trial Court Branch 29 Judge Ruben Altubar on charges of malversation of public property after the councilor supposedly failed to return a government-issued 9mm pistol worth P27,750.
Yapha denied being arrested in Toledo City, saying he doesn’t have a home there.
He said he voluntarily went to the Toledo City police precinct and to court in order to post a P40,000 bail.
Yapha also said he already returned the service firearm to the municipal government.
Despite the erroneous report, Yapha said he won’t file charges against the police officers.
Yapha said he felt humiliated by the news report. Supt. Ali Baron, Toledo City police chief, said Yapha wasn’t arrested by police.
While saying that he is willing to apologize to Yapha, Baron clarified that the report didn’t come from him. Baron said Yapha didn’t call him to clarify the report.
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