(PNA from Annabel Consuelo J. Petinglay)
SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique 鈥� 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.
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.
The approval is based upon the recommendation of Graft Investigation and Prosecution Officer III Leilani Tagulao-Marquez and Assistant Ombudsman-Proper Pilarita Lapitan
The 鈥渁ct 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,鈥� 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.
鈥漈he 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,鈥� the Ombudsman ruled.
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.
In August 2024, the same board members were meted out a six-month preventive suspension by the Office of the Ombudsman over their 鈥渄eliberate action鈥� 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.