Suspension of 3 engineers to hurt DEPW – Rama

CEBU, Philippines - Mayor Michael Rama yesterday admitted that the Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW) will suffer with the preventive suspension  of three of its engineers that is why he requested the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas to speed up the resolution of their case.

One of those ordered preventively suspended by the Ombudsman is Assistant City Engineer June Nadine Sison who has been tasked to supervise several ongoing government projects in different barangays.

City Engineer Kenneth Carmelita Enriquez said she will just give the additional task to her other assistant, Engineer Josefa “Joy” Ylanan.

The two other engineers that were also preventively suspended from their jobs upon the order of Deputy Ombudsman Pelagio Apostol are Juanito Pua Jr. and Joel Pasatiempo. Pua used to head the DEPW construction division while Pasatiempo is project inspector.

The respondents earlier said that the Ombudsman’s order preventively suspending them is tantamount to condoning the defective works of the complainant, Robert Montenegro.

Montenegro had filed graft charges, grave abuse of authority, gross misconduct and conduct unbecoming of government employees against the three engineers for allegedly asking computer and a “high tech” camera from him.

But the three engineers said Montenegro just harassed them after they have decided not to release Montenegro’s P150,000 representing the 10 percent retention amount of his contract price of a project in Barangay Adlaon because this was defective. —/JPM (FREEMAN)