THREE Capitol workers will lose their jobs in the wake of an order from the Ombudsman, penalizing them and six other former department heads for bidding shortcuts in the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC).
Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III said he received the endorsement from the Ombudsman last December 1, directing him to implement its decision to dismiss or penalize the nine within give days.
“I will only implement the decision on those who are still here,” he told reporters. The rest, Davide said, have either retired or resigned.
Three of the nine are still working at the Capitol. They are former provincial general services officer Bernard Calderon (now assistant GSO), former provincial health officer Dr. Cristina Giango (now detailed at the provincial jail), and provincial legal officer Marino Martinquilla.
Martinquilla, in a separate interview, said that he will abide by the Ombudsman’s decision but will exhaust all legal remedies. He said he is still waiting to get a copy of the ruling.
No motion for reconsideration or appeal will stay the penalty.
“According to the Office of the Ombudsman’s rules of procedure, their decisions are immediately executory,” he said.
The governor said the recent decision of the Ombudsman clearly shows that there was really something irregular in the construction of the CICC.
However, he said he was disappointed at how former governor Gwendolyn Garcia was spared from penalty by the Aguinaldo Doctrine due to her reelection in 2007 and 2010 which wiped out her administrative liability.
“In a way, I am a bit disappointed. Not all people are aware of that certain official’s wrongdoings if ever he or she did commit them,” Davide said.
He said reelection should not be used as an excuse to pardon or condone the wrongdoing of an elected public official.
The Supreme Court (SC) decided to do away with the Aguinaldo Doctrine during deliberations on the case of dismissed Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay Jr. last month.
It was ruled that the doctrine could no longer be invoked once the decision on the Binay case becomes final.
Davide said he is glad the SC changed its mind.