The Office of the Ombudsman has indicted 11 individuals for graft and corruption after they were arrested and charged by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

Report showed that on 4 February 2025, the Office of the Ombudsman has indicted Floro Qimque Cases Jr., John Jigo Gaston Dacua, Grace M. Luardo-Silva, Allem Omlero Ceballos, Romelito Asinjo Datan, Mark Abarquez Ugbinar, Jerome Visarra Ornopea, Mare Vae Fernandez Reyes, Jayra Angelic Maninog Ruiz-Javier, John David Sevilles Javier, and Erika May S. Quino.

The accused were indicted with one count each of violation of Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act) and Malversation of Public

Funds or Property, following an investigation by the National Bureau of Investigation - Central Visayas Regional Office (NBI-CEVRO) into an alleged anomaly in the collection and disposal of Cebu City’s garbage.

The charges relate to a loss of public funds amounting to Php 239,728,280.62.

In a separate resolution issued on 14 March 2025, the Ombudsman found the same individuals administratively liable for Gross Neglect of Duty and Conduct Prejudicial to the Best Interests of the Service.

As a result, they face dismissal from their positions, cancellation of eligibility, forfeiture of retirement benefits, perpetual disqualification from holding public office, and a ban on taking civilservice examinations.

The NBI-CEVRO investigation, prompted by a complaint from the then-Cebu City

Vice-Mayor, uncovered a fraudulent scheme involving a garbage collection contract.

The city Government of Cebu had contracted with a joint venture, DOCAST Construction and JJ&J Construction and General Supply (DOCAST/JJ&J), for garbage collection, transportation, and disposal at a rate of Php 1,800.00 per ton from 29 January 2021, to 19 July 2021.

Investigation showed that DOCAST/JJ&J subcontracted with ARN Central Waste Management, Inc. (ARN), which provided a dumpsite for a fee of Php600.00 per ton.

While city and barangay-owned trucks were permitted to deliver garbage directly to the ARN facility.

The firm failed to accurately specify the tonnage delivered by these government-owned trucks in their billing statements to the Cebu City government.

This implied that all garbage was collected and delivered exclusively by DOCAST/JJ&J.

Further findings showed that DOCAST/JJ&J failed to pay ARN for their services, leading ARN to ban the company from its dumpsite on July 8, 2021.

Despite this ban, DOCAST/JJ&J continued to bill the city government for services that were no longer being rendered, using falsified documents.

The officials’ alleged negligence in exercising due diligence in processing these payments led to the substantial loss of public funds.