Administrative and criminal: Guv gets copies of complaints

CEBU, Philippines —  Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, who is under preventive suspension by the Office of the Ombudsman, confirmed she has received copies of the administrative and criminal complaints filed against her and raised concerns over the unusually swift timeline of the process, citing the sequence of events and individuals involved.

This was shared by Garcia in a press conference on Saturday, May 3, 2025, at the Cebu Provincial Governor’s Office, where she was joined by Capitol consultant Atty. Rory Jon Sepulveda.

Garcia said they received the complaint documents from the Office of the Ombudsman on Friday, May 2 and have 10 days to file their counter-affidavit.

Sepulveda added that, based on a document dated April 30, it appears a special panel of investigators was created to look into the governor's case.

“In that order, this is the first time we’ve received a copy of the complaint,” Sepulveda said.

He disclosed that the complaint, based on the date stamp, was filed by Moises Garcia Reiparine on April 21. Just seven days later, on Monday, April 28, they received the suspension order.

Sepulveda noted that the suspension order came without attached copies of the complaints and that it was prepared on April 23—just two days after the complaint was filed—and signed by Ombudsman Samuel Martires on April 24.

“We’ve noticed the inordinate interest shown by the person or official handling this case. Just three days after the filing, without any further investigation or intervention, the suspension order for the administrative case had already been signed,” Sepulveda said.

Garcia questioned why the complaints were only made available seven days after the order was signed, along with the note that a special panel was created on April 30.

“There was never anyone else involved in investigating the administrative complaint,” Garcia said, emphasizing the complaint bears only the signature of Ombudsman Martires.

She pointed out the unusually fast timeline between the filing of the complaint and the issuance of the suspension order.

Sepulveda noted that the criminal case is docketed as No. 73 and the administrative case as No. 74 for the month of April, raising questions about how the latter progressed more swiftly.

Case linked to desiltation not quarrying

Garcia clarified that the complaint related to the Mananga River pertains to a desiltation effort, not quarrying, and said the Office of the Ombudsman had erroneously likened the activity to violations at the Chocolate Hills in Bohol.

“He would have been more enlightened if he had carefully read the special permit attached to the complaint. It is not quarrying,” Garcia said.

She said the contractor was required to pay the province for removing materials, which were limited to 5,000 cubic meters. The payment of P60 per cubic meter, along with an environmental fee of P12, was made to the Provincial Treasurer’s Office—not her office.

“We could have shown the good Ombudsman the specific section of the Provincial Revenue Code — which was approved as an ordinance by the Provincial Board — that refers to these fees,” Garcia said.

Garcia emphasized she shares the Ombudsman’s concern about stopping unregulated quarrying and cited her own initiatives, including cease and desist orders against APO Cement Corp. and Cemex for continued quarrying.

She said someone told her the suspension could have been avoided had she not opposed quarrying, linking her efforts to cancel certain Mineral Production Sharing Agreements to public safety.

“Well, the clue came from the Ombudsman himself,” Garcia said, referring to Martires linking the Mananga River desiltation to quarrying in Bohol.

Garcia shared that during her inspection of quarrying sites in Naga City, she was informed that contractors—not the cement firms—were doing the extraction and hauling.

She pointed out that cement firms like APO and Cemex refused to pay the P72 fee, claiming they already paid the national excise tax. However, she discovered that contractors conducting the actual extraction were not paying any taxes.

“That made me realize we were barking up the wrong tree,” Garcia said, adding that APO’s contractor, Geo Transport and Construction Inc., owned by Stanley Chona, had not paid a single centavo.

She mentioned that Chona is the husband of Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Geraldine Faith Econg.

Garcia recalled that Justice Econg sat on the division that handled her previous “Balili case,” where Martires was also part of the panel.

Garcia denied singling out APO and said she had also issued cease and desist orders against Solid Earth and other firms that resist paying dues.

“Mister Ombudsman, I truly share your passion for protecting the environment. That is why I have continued to renew cease and desist orders — not only for APO’s area but also for Solid Earth,” she said.

She announced that the Capitol will now send the direct billing to Geo Transport and Construction Inc., which continues to refuse payment while other contractors have complied.

“These are non-renewable resources. If we allow their extraction, then there must at least be a benefit for the people living on this island,” Garcia said. “I assure you, the money does not go to me.”

She said her actions were for the people, especially those at risk of landslides. “As one of have said, this suspension order could have been avoided had I played the game with the powers that be,” she said.

Garcia also responded to press releases issued by Ombudsman Martires on Thursday, May 1, urging her to comply with the suspension order.

“Noted. Salamat po,” was Garcia’s brief response at the press conference on May 3.

The governor earlier said she would not step down until receiving a response from the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

Asked to comment on the statement of her brother, Cebu Rep. Pablo John Garcia, who urged her to comply with the Ombudsman order, she said they have their own opinions.

“Well, he is entitled to his own opinion and the same way, I am entitled to my own opinion," she said.

Garcia further expressed gratitude to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for calling for fair and respectful treatment amid her preventive suspension.

She said that “when the President speaks, everyone listens.”

Garcia also asked all her supporters not to feel bad on her recent challenge.

“Ayaw mo og kaguol, there’s a greater power than the governor, than the Ombudsman or even the troll farm. There’s a God up there that knows exactly what the truth is and eventually, the truth will prevail," she said.

Also asked about tarpaulins bearing her photo and the message “Cebu is Garcia country” hung along a skywalk in Barangay Mabolo, Cebu City, she said in jest that she’d rather have her tarpaulin placed in Talisay City and other areas in the province.

“Di mana makabotar nako,” she added, referring to Mabolo voters.

DEFENDING 2018 CASE

Garcia also addressed Martires’ claim that she has a history of defying lawful orders, citing a 2018 case when she was a congresswoman. She explained that the dismissal order came while Congress was in session, and the House Committee on Justice opted not to implement the order.

She argued that the Ombudsman has no authority to remove a sitting lawmaker and that her continued service then followed proper procedure.

She criticized Martires for citing that case and called it a “distortion of facts.”

“That is something we would not expect from someone who holds such an esteemed and powerful office,” she said. (CEBU NEWS)