Ombudsman rejects petition to suspend 2 CDC executives

CLARK FIELD, Pampanga — The Office of the Ombudsman has denied a petition to place two officials of Clark Development Corp. (CDC) under preventive suspension for supposed grave misconduct in connection with an alleged irregularity at the Mimosa Golf and Country Club (MGCC).

Citing lack of merit, Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon Victor Fernandez dismissed the motion for suspension of CDC president Emma—nuel Angeles and MGCC manager Richard Atendido.

The case stemmed from the case filed by Ruperto Cruz, chairman of the Pinoy Gumising Ka Movement and owner of Cruz Wood and Industries.

Cruz alleged that Angeles and Atendido entered into a service agreement and contract with IGRI Clark Industries Inc. on Aug. 13, 2001, allegedly without a public bidding, for the repair and rehabilitation of golf carts owned and managed by CDC under a 70-30 percent income-sharing scheme.

In his complaint, Cruz alleged that the IGRI would get 70 percent of the rental fees from the golf carts and the CDC, the remaining 30 percent. The Angeles businessman also alleged that Atendido was an IGRI incorporator.

But the Ombudsman said that "to justify the preventive suspension of a public officer or employee pending an investigation, it is required under Section 24 of Republic Act No. 6770 (the Ombudsman Act of 1989), that the evidence against him should be strong."

"We find that the records on hand do not show that the evidence of guilt is strong...," the resolution stated.