City eng'r resents Ombud's order

CEBU, Philippines - Mandaue City Engineer Antonio Sanchez yesterday cried foul over the decision of the Office of the Ombudsman Visayas suspending him for two months and one day for negligence of duty.

Sanchez said he still has to receive the Ombudsman’s order.

City administrator Briccio Boholst also said that he has not yet received a copy of the order.

The Ombudsman directs Mayor Jonas Cortes to implement the suspension order and to submit to the anti-graft office a compliance report within five days from receipt of the order. 

The Ombudsman has suspended Sanchez for two months and one day after he was found guilty of negligence of duty during his stint as head of the Office of the Building Official in Cebu City in 2007. 

The case stemmed from a complaint filed in 2007 by Arabella de Leon against Sanchez for issuing a building permit for a two-story residential house to two applicants.

De Leon said workers destroyed a portion of her house without the necessary demolition permit.

She argued that a demolition permit was necessary before a building permit can be issued.

The OBO allegedly issued a building permit to two applicants even without the necessary supporting documents.

After she complained to OBO, the construction of  the two-story house was suspended .

OBO told applicants to present documents to validate the issuance of a building permit.

She later learned that the construction continued even if the two applicants failed to show documents.  

But Sanchez yesterday said it was unfair that the resolution of the case was first published in newspapers while he and his lawyer were not furnished a copy of the resolution.

“Its so unfair that the Ombudsman leaked it to the media unya kami wa hatagi sa resolution of the case. What kind of justice do we have? Kaming mga city engineer nabutang na dyud sa ilang linya nga kami probably corrupt, that’s the common impression. It’s the price of being honest,” Sanchez said.

He said the decision was unfair to him because he was not the one who signed the building permit but his subordinate.

He said he might be held liable for command responsibility but his subordinate who signed the building permit should also be included in the complaint.

Sanchez said the complainant earlier said a certificate of occupancy was issued to the applicants.

He said the occupancy permit was issued because there was no irregularity in the issuance of the building permit.

The complainant even raised her complaint to the DPWH but her complaint did not prosper.

The complainant even asked for the revocation of the building permit but his office did not grant her request for fear of bigger liabilities if the department revoked the building permits of the applicants.

Sanchez was the Cebu City Engineer for almost 20 years before he retired in April 1, 2008, but last April 7, 2008 ,Mayor Jonas Cortes asked that he remain as city engineer of Mandaue City.

Last January 17, 2010 he reached the mandatory age of retirement, 65.

But a CSC resolution states that the services rendered during the period of extension shall no longer be credited as part of government services.

Although he still receives a salary but he is no longer entitled to any salary increases and clothing allowances since he is already considered retired. — THE FREEMAN