Ombudsman suspends Cotabato governor

DAVAO CITY , Philippines  – The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the preventive suspension for six months without pay of North Cotabato Gov. Jesus Sacdalan for alleged misuse of the province’s calamity fund in 2008 amounting to P27 million.

Sacdalan was cited by the Ombudsman for grave misconduct and dishonesty in which his alleged acts were seen to be ‘dishonest and imbued with intent to circumvent if not violate the law.’ The suspension came in the midst of Sacdalan’s declaration last Tuesday he would be running for re-election in next year’s elections under the administration’s Lakas-Kampi ruling party.

Sacdalan was earlier reported to have also eyed a congressional seat but was said to have been egged to run for re-election by ranking officials of Lakas-Kampi.

According to the Department of the Interior and Local Government Manila, the said order dated Nov. 4 and signed by Acting Ombudsman Orlando Casimiro was received by the DILG legal office Nov. 9 and is expected to be served this week.

Sacdalan’s suspension shall reportedly be effective immediately as soon as he would be in receipt of the order to be served by DILG officials. The governor reportedly has yet to receive a copy of the Ombudsman order but at the same time he also expressed hope he would be allowed to appeal his case and that due process shall be followed in the entire process. It still has to be ascertained how the case would affect the political plans of the governor as he is expected to file his certificate of candidacy in the next few days.

Complaint

The case against the governor stemmed from a complaint filed by a former district engineer of North Cotabato and corroborated by two former members of the internal audit team of the province and a barangay chairman.

Engr. Milagros Casis accused Sacdalan of pocketing about P16 million from the calamity fund representing the excess payment for fuel which was reportedly allocated for several road projects but which was never used and converted to cash.

Casis, in her complaint, said Sacdalan ordered her sometime in March 2008 to prepare programs of work and dictated the amounts to be released for fuel which were much more than the allotment needed to finish the projects under the 2008 Programs of Work for Road Projects. When she refused to comply, Casis said she was transferred, and her replacement was made to finish the liquidation reflecting the figures dictated by Sacdalan.

The complainant further said that Sacdalan, in order to conceal any incriminatory evidence, issued Office Order No. 65 dated Aug. 7 directing all employees to secure his approval before releasing copies of documents relating to the calamity fund to any requesting official or person other than the governor.

Documents presented by Casis to the Ombudsman showed among others single-day fuel purchases on May 26, 2008 of 134,438.72 liters and 44,036.16 liters from two different gasoline stations. The volume of fuel allegedly exceeded the maximum depot capacity of 16,000 liters per fuel product for each gasoline station.

Casis’s allegations were supported by two former members of the Internal Audit team of the Office of the Governor who said that the amount of fuel purported to have been used for the road projects would have overflowed the fuel storage of the two gas stations and flooded the City of Kidapawan and the town of Midsayap where the two gasoline stations are located.

Alfredo Aton and Joel Silvestre Unabia said that when they brought the irregularity to the attention of Sacdalan, they were also relieved from their positions.

Barangay Chairman Magalona Ampatuan of Salat, President Roxas also testified that the repair of road leading to his village reportedly used P2 million worth of fuel when the actual work by a fleet of equipment was only five days.

The complainant listed a total of 12 provincial government projects last year where the P27 million worth of fuel were allegedly spent. Of the total amount, the complainant said only about P11 million worth of fuel was actually used.

Casis estimated a total of 383,903.12 liters were unused amounting to P16,047,150.42 if the price of diesel is at P41.80 per liter.