"Too harsh" — Mandaue Mayor slams one-year suspension

Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes insisted yesterday that the one-year suspension order by the Office of the Ombudsman was "too harsh."

The case stemmed from the designation of Camilo Basaca Jr. as officer-in-charge of the City Social Welfare Services Office (OIC-CSWSO) in 2022, despite lacking qualifications.

The complainants, Sereno Gabayan Monsanto, Rosimay Cali Caling, and Annabel Dela Cerna Andebor, argued that Cortes violated Section 483 of Republic Act No. 7160, or the Local Government Code.

In an interview with DAILY TRIBUNE, Cortes said he had already anticipated the Office of the Ombudsman's suspension order and was prepared for it.

However, he did not expect the suspension to last for one year, as it was not a corruption case. He described the Ombudsman's order as excessive.

Cortes reiterated that the designation of the OIC-CSWSO was temporary and necessary due to the retirement of the permanent Social Welfare Officer.

Motion for reconsideration

City Administrator Jamaal James Calipayan told the media that they are set to file a motion for reconsideration this week.

Calipayan disclosed that there was a precedent case during the time of former Mandaue City Mayor Luis Gabriel Quisumbing, where he designated Jessie Perez as OIC-CSWSO, but the case was dismissed by the Ombudsman.

Cortes has yet to receive an implementing order for the suspension, as he insisted it is not a corruption case and does not involve public funds.

The Department of Interior and Local Government in Central Visayas (DILG-7), through Regional Director Leocadio Trovela, noted that the office had not yet received any order implementing Cortes' suspension.

The Ombudsman's decision, signed by Graft Investigation and Prosecution Officer Napoleon Regan Malimas on 12 August, 2024, stated that while the penalty for grave misconduct is dismissal from service even on the first offense, there was neither an allegation nor evidence that the irregular designation of Basaca was attended with elements of corruption.