ILOILO CITY — The political power tandem of Zarraga, Iloilo has been toppled. Mayor Ma. Jofel Soldevilla and Vice Mayor Michael Omar Lacson have been booted out of office after the Office of the Ombudsman found them guilty of grave misconduct over a shady P11.6-million land deal that reeked of conflict of interest and abuse of authority.

In a stinging 22-page decision dated 12 Sept., the Ombudsman ruled that Soldevilla and Lacson “conspired and unlawfully used their positions to advance their personal interests,” when they pushed through with a land purchase for the town’s Local Shelter Plan without proper authority from the Sangguniang Bayan.

The ruling carries the heaviest penalties: dismissal from service, cancellation of civil service eligibility, forfeiture of retirement benefits, and perpetual disqualification from holding public office.

At the center of the controversy is a parcel of land registered under the name of Lacson’s late father, Orlando — the same property the municipal government agreed to buy in July 2023 for P11.6 million. The Ombudsman said Soldevilla and Lacson entered into a contract to sell despite the lack of a specific authorizing resolution, calling the one issued by the council a mere “general authorization.”

What made the transaction even murkier, investigators found, was the P5-million initial payment that went straight to Lacson, who was then still a municipal councilor — even though the lot was not yet legally transferred to his name. The balance of P6.6 million remained unpaid, creating what the Ombudsman described as “an unauthorized indebtedness for the local government.”

“The facts and evidence on record have indubitably established that respondents Soldevilla and Lacson acted in concert to favor their personal interest at the expense of public trust,” the decision read.

The case stemmed from a complaint filed by Councilor Andre Bon Sumagaysay, who claimed that the 22 March 2023 resolution authorizing the transaction was railroaded without a qualified majority. Several members, he said, were on official business when the vote was taken.

Aside from the top two officials, seven others were also sanctioned. Councilor Jose Jeffren Millan, ex-officio members Nelida Octaviano and Mark Andrian Sulolayon, accountant Era Lerdon, budget officer Glezil Lozañes, and treasurer Leonora Pauya were each suspended for six months without pay. Former Councilor Rolando Papa, who no longer holds office, was fined an amount equal to six months of a councilor’s salary.

The Ombudsman’s ruling sent shockwaves through the quiet town of Zarraga, signaling yet another stern warning to local officials who treat public coffers as private cash boxes.

With its verdict, the anti-graft body reminded public servants that integrity — not influence — defines the mandate they swore to uphold.