Suspended engineer files P.5-M suit vs Panlilio

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – Gov. Ed Panlilio is facing a P500,000 civil suit filed by the provincial engineer whom he earlier had placed under 60-day preventive suspension for allegedly falsely claiming to be a degree holder.

Engineer Juanito Macatuno, in a 13-page complaint he filed with the regional trial court here last Monday, sought a temporary restraining order and writ of preliminary injunction against his suspension, besides demanding P500,000 in moral and exemplary damages and attorney’s fees.

Macatuno’s legal counsel, Peter Paul Maglalang, said the allegations against his client were “evidently being vexed twice for the same cause due to the unlawful and malicious acts of Panlilio, who is recycling the old issues previously ruled upon by Civil Service Commission.”

Earlier, Macatuno did not show up during the hearing on the administrative case filed against him. He instead sent a letter, stating that “due to the categorical findings of the (CSC) in its aforesaid decision, there is no basis for your good office to conduct any further investigation with respect to the same matter covered by the decision.”

Last Oct. 1, Panlilio slapped Macatuno with a 60-day preventive suspension after his office received information from a “concerned citizen” alleging that the engineer has no college degree. 

Panlilio reportedly charged Macatuno with dishonesty and falsification of public document. 

In his counter-affidavit, Macatuno provided a copy of the CSC decision dated Jan. 3, 2001 declaring, among other things, that Macatuno holds a civil engineering degree from Manuel L. Quezon University in Manila and is a licensed civil engineer.

Panlilio recently hogged the headlines when he admitted receiving P500,000 in cash contained in a paper bag, supposedly for barangay projects, after a meeting of local officials in Malacañang.