Ombudsman indicts Borbon VM over wife’s consultancy contracts

MANILA, Philippines —  The Office of the Ombudsman has found probable cause to charge Borbon, Cebu Vice Mayor and former mayor Noel T. Dotillos with ten counts of alleged violations of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act over the repeated hiring of his wife, Dr. Corazon V. Dotillos, as a municipal consultant after her retirement from government service.

In a resolution approved by Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla, the Ombudsman ordered the filing of five counts of violation of Section 3(e) and five counts of violation of Section 3(h) of Republic Act No. 3019 before the proper court.

The complaint was filed by Margarito L. Ornopia Jr., incumbent barangay captain of Don Gregorio Antigue in the said municipality.  Ornopia received the copy of the Resolution on Thursday, July 23, 2026 via registered mail.

According to the Resolution, Dr. Corazon Dotillos retired as Municipal Health Officer (MHO) on Oct. 5, 2021 upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 65. Her service was initially extended for six months by the Civil Service Commission until April 5, 2022.

The Ombudsman said that after the expiration of the extension, Dotillos, who was then the mayor continued to engage his wife through successive contracts of service from Oct. 6, 2022 to April 19, 2025.

The resolution stated that although Dr. Dotillos was hired as a consultant, she allegedly continued performing duties attributable to the Municipal Health Officer while no permanent MHO was appointed during the period.

The complainant alleged that the repeated renewal of Dr. Dotillos’ contracts, including contracts entered into without specific authorization from the Sangguniang Bayan, circumvented civil service rules and granted her unwarranted benefits.

In his counter-affidavit, Vice Mayor Dotillos denied the allegations, arguing that Dr. Dotillos’ compensation of ?3,500 per day was below what she deserved, that her continued engagement was necessary because no other physician was willing to assume the position, and that the Sangguniang Bayan supported the arrangement through resolutions.

He also questioned the authenticity of a resolution endorsing another physician, Dr. Nestor Casas, for appointment as Municipal Health Officer, and maintained that the appointment of an MHO ultimately rests with the local chief executive.

The Ombudsman, however, ruled that the evidence established probable cause for violations of Sections 3(e) and 3(h) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

The resolution said that Vice Mayor Dotillos allegedly acted with “manifest partiality” by repeatedly hiring his wife under contracts of service despite her mandatory retirement and extension of service already having lapsed.

It added that the repeated contracts allegedly gave unwarranted benefits not only to Dr. Dotillos through her compensation but also indirectly to the vice mayor because of their marital relationship.

The Ombudsman also found probable cause for five counts of violating Section 3(h), which penalizes public officials who intervene in contracts in which they have a direct or indirect financial interest.

Citing the Family Code and jurisprudence, the resolution stated that the salaries earned by Dr. Dotillos formed part of the spouses’ community or conjugal property, giving the vice mayor a pecuniary interest in the contracts that he signed in his official capacity.

The criminal complaint was investigated by Graft Investigation and Prosecution Officer II Paul Tolomia. It was reviewed by OIC-Director Jess Vincent dela Peña, recommended for approval by Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Dante Vargas, concurred in by Assistant Ombudsman for the Visayas Gaudioso Melendez, and approved by Ombudsman Remulla.

The Ombudsman directed that the corresponding informations be filed before the proper court.

In his Facebook post, Borbon Mayor Nico Dotillos, the son of the couple said, “The only unwarranted thing that my mommy received during those times was almost dying from covid from serving our town. This is what we get.” (CEBU NEWS)