Ombudsman suspends 8 Antique board members anew

Ombudsman suspends 8 Antique board members anew

/ 06:57 AM March 18, 2025

<p><strong>SUSPENSION</strong>. The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Antique fails to muster a quorum during the scheduled regular session on Monday (March 17, 2025). The Office of the Ombudsman suspended anew eight board members, this time for one year without pay, for grave abuse of authority, grave misconduct and conduct unbecoming of public officers. (<em>PNA photo by Annabel Consuelo J. Petinglay</em>)</p>

(PNA from Annabel Consuelo J. Petinglay)

SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique — The Office of the Ombudsman suspended anew eight board members of Antique, this time for one year without pay.

The suspension orders were served Monday to the offices of Egidio Elio, Rony Molina, Victor Condez, Alfie Jay Niquia, Mayella Mae Plameras-Ladislao, Plaridel Sanchez IV, Kenneth Dave Gasalao and Julius Cezar Tajanlangit.

The orders dated March 7 cited as reasons grave abuse of authority, grave misconduct and conduct unbecoming of public officers.

Article continues after this advertisement

Ombudsman Samuel Martires approved the 18-page decision suspending the respondents for their acts of deleting the budget for three solar projects included in the proposed P1.075-billion supplemental budget in 2024.

FEATURED STORIES

The approval is based upon the recommendation of Graft Investigation and Prosecution Officer III Leilani Tagulao-Marquez and Assistant Ombudsman-Proper Pilarita Lapitan

The “act of respondents in giving zero funding for the three solar projects undermined the power of the LCE (local chief executive) to exercise her or his veto power, which unquestionably amounts to grave abuse of authority and grave misconduct,” read part of the decision.

The Ombudsman said appropriating zero amounts to solar projects cannot be justified as a faithful performance of their sworn duty.

”The Department of Budget and Management states that the appropriation for an item with zero amount is not a valid appropriation because a valid appropriation must necessarily authorize the expenditure of public funds, be it P1 or more,” the Ombudsman ruled.

Article continues after this advertisement

The provincial board failed to hold its regular session on Monday due to a lack of quorum.

Of the eight respondents, only Elio was present but he left upon knowing of the suspension order, while four were in a convention in Manila.

Article continues after this advertisement

In August 2024, the same board members were meted out a six-month preventive suspension by the Office of the Ombudsman over their “deliberate action” to delay the P1.07 billion supplemental budget of the province.

They were reinstated following a writ of preliminary injunction issued by the Court of Appeals Fourth Division on November 7 last year.

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

By providing an email address. I agree to the and acknowledge that I have read the .

TAGS: antique

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our newsletter!

By providing an email address. I agree to the and acknowledge that I have read the .

© Copyright 1997-2025 | All Rights Reserved

This is an information message

We use cookies to enhance your experience. By continuing, you agree to our use of cookies.