3-month suspension okayed: De Lima signs order vs Castro

CEBU, Philippines - Justice Secretary Leila de Lima has issued a memorandum ordering the suspension of Assistant City Prosecutor Mary Ann Castro.

Regional State Prosecutor Fernando Gubalane and City Prosecutor Nicolas Sellon received the memorandum at 11 a.m. yesterday.

In the memorandum, it stated that Castro will be placed under disciplinary suspension without pay for a period of three months effective immediately after receipt of such.

This was after the Ombudsman Visayas found Castro guilty of administrative case for misconduct.

“Wherefore, Mary Ann Castro is hereby found guilty of the administrative offense of misconduct and meted the penalty of suspension from service for three months,” the order read.

De Lima said the decision is being implemented in accordance with Section 7 of Administrative Order No. 17 issued by the Office of the Ombudsman.

“A decision of the Office of the Ombudsman in administrative cases shall be executed as a matter of course,” administrative order reads.

“The Office of the Ombudsman shall ensure that the decision shall be strictly enforced and properly implemented,” order further reads.

De Lima likewise instructed Gubalane to ensure the compliance with the directive and to promptly submit a compliance report to DOJ Central Office.

Meanwhile, Gubalane said he received the memorandum through fax and he verified it with the record section of the DOJ Central Office, which was also what Sellon did.

Sellon was authorized by Gubalane to implement the memorandum wherein Sellon claimed he will serve it within this week.

Sellon said he will finalize the memorandum and prepare the necessary papers before giving it to Castro.

Sellon added the court assignments of Castro will be divided equally among all 30 prosecutors in the city.

Castro, however, has been on leave since April 29.

She told The Freeman via a text message that she is returning to work Thursday.

Castro did not comment on the order of de Lima as she still has to see it.

This case stemmed after Castro was charged before the Office of the Ombudsman for forum shopping in her annulment case against her husband Rocky Rommel Roa. –/NLQ (FREEMAN)