Ombudsman suspends 3 Marikina officials over building permit complaint

Former Ombudsman Samuel Martires, in a 20-page decision signed on 14 July 2025, found three respondents guilty of the administrative offense of Conduct Unbecoming of a Government Employee and imposed on them the penalty of six months’ suspension without pay.

Those covered by the suspension order were Kennedy Sueno, Mark de Joya and Abby Salvador (also known as Abigail Joy Santiago). If any of the three is no longer connected with a government post, the Ombudsman said the penalty will be converted into a fine equivalent to six months’ pay, deductible from any benefits due them.

The case stemmed from a complaint filed by spouses Brian and Agnes Torres, residents of Twin River Subdivision in Barangay Parang, Marikina City. They alleged that when they applied for a building permit in August 2021 to construct their house, they were pressured by staff of the City Engineers’ Office to pay P430,000. The permit was eventually approved on 2 March 2022 but later revoked on 19 April of the same year.

The original complaint was for the more serious offenses of Grave Misconduct and Conduct Prejudicial to the Best Interest of the Service, but these were dismissed for insufficient basis.

Investigators cited the absence of elements such as “transgression of an established rule” and “corruption, clear intent to violate the law, or flagrant disregard of established rule” under the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees (RA 6713).

On the same ground, all charges were dismissed against Enforcement Section chief Romeo Gutierrez Jr., building inspector Marlito Poquiz, Permit Division assistant chief Josephine Evangelista, electrical inspector Alex Copreros, and electrician foreman Manuel Santos.

The Ombudsman panel, in its decision, also noted the informal meetings between respondent public officials and two fixers it identified as Ryan Dahilig and Hilario “Puto” David, who allegedly tried to intercede on behalf of the Torres couple.