Probe eyed vs. execs of DOE 7

CEBU - A group of environmentalists yesterday asked the Office of the Ombudsman Visayas to investigate the officials of the Department of Energy-7 for alleged violations of laws after they were barred from entering their office last week.

Lawyers Gloria Estenzo Ramos and Benjamin Cabrido, Vince Cinches, Wilbert Dimol, Owen Migraso, Irene Zanoria, James Kho, and Ma. Victoria Beltran have accused Energy officials in Central Visayas of violating their rights as citizens of this country.

They claimed that DOE regional director Antonio Labios, Saul Gonzales, and other officials have committed a violation of Republic Act 6713 otherwise known as the Code of Conduct for Public Officials and Employees as well as the Civil Code when they refused to grant them entry into the DOE office last Friday.

The group asked the anti-graft office to look into the incident and possibly place the DOE officials under preventive suspension.

The group, which is involved in the protection of fisherfolks affected by the ongoing offshore drilling project of the DOE in Sibonga and Argao, went to the DOE office last Friday to deliver a letter.

However, they were allegedly prevented by the guard from coming in. They said that they were treated with “disrespect and subjected to humiliation and indignity”.

Last Friday morning, the group went to the Metrobank Building where the DOE office is located supposedly to deliver a letter and hopefully discuss with some Energy officials the plight of the fisherfolks in the municipalities of Sibonga and Argao.

But, the security guard posted at the lobby allegedly refused to grant them entry and even gave them a run-around.

They were told that Labios and a certain Atty. Gamallo were not around to entertain them. The group instead asked that somebody from the DOE office should come down to receive their letter, which Gonzales did.

“Complainants are peace-loving citizens who do not deserve the unprofessionalism, discriminatory, unjust, discourteous, and callous behavior exhibited by the officers of the DOE-7,” the letter complaint read.

They said that barring them inside a government office without valid reason has violated their “rights as citizens, their inherent dignity as human beings and pertinent provisions of the Civil Code and the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards.” – Fred P. Languido/MEEV (THE FREEMAN)