Ombuds sack PRO-8 head, 18 others

CEBU, Philippines - The Ombudsman on Friday confirmed reports that Police Regional Office-8 regional director, Chief Superintendent Asher Dolina, and 18 other Philippine National Police officials were ordered dismissed from service, for graft and corruption charges and gross neglect of duty.

Two other civilian employees of the PNP were also meted the accessory penalties of perpetual disqualification from reemployment in the government service, forfeiture of retirement benefits and cancellation of civil service eligibility.

The dismissed police officials were charged for the allegedly anomalous purchase in 2009 of rubber boats for the PNP that turned out to be defective.

Charged and dismissed with Dolina were: Chief Supts. Reynaldo Rafal, Rizaldo Tungala Jr. and George Piano;

Senior Supts. Ferdinand Yuzon, Cornelio Salinas, Thomas Abellar, Nepomuceno Magno Corpus Jr., Rico Payonga, Alex Sarmiento, Aleto Jeremy Mirasol, and Michael Amor Filart;

Superintendents Job Marasigan, Leodegario Visaya, and Henry Duque; Chief Inspectors Juanito Estrebor and Renelfa Saculles; and Police Officer 3 Avensuel Dy,

PNP Accounting Division Chief Antonio Retrato was also ordered dismissed for grave misconduct and gross neglect of duty, and Commission on Audit auditor for the PNP Jaime Sañares for gross neglect of duty.

The Ombudsman also ordered the filing of charges against Roselle Ferrer and Pacita Umali of Four Petals Trading, the supplier of the rubber boats.

Dolina’s dismissal circulated last October 16, when he hinted about it in his speech during the oathtaking ceremony of 597 new policemen held at Camp Ruperto Kangleon in Palo, Leyte. He was emotional when he said that he was undergoing a major trial in his life at the time.

“In all your actions, you have to be accountable not only to the PNP, but to the people in general. What you will learn from your training will equip you to veer away from distractions, because at the end of the day, you can say to God and to men that you have done the things that you needed to do,” Dolina told the new recruits.

After that day, Dolina reportedly packed his bags and did not report to his office anymore. He did not return calls from The Freeman and was absent during the 71st Leyte Landing Anniversary rites held in Palo, Leyte on October 20.

He later held a command conference with police officials from all over Eastern Visayas, telling them of his dismissal.

In a statement, the Ombudsman said the cases involve the anomalous procurement in 2009 of police coastal crafts worth P4.54 million. The rubber boats were bought “without public bidding and despite glaring defects already noted during delivery, the boats were certified to have passed the acceptance criteria,” it said, adding that Dolina was the chairman of the bids and awards committee at the time.

Dolina, who is also a lawyer, is a native of Palo, Leyte. His brother, Colonel Dinoh Dolina, is the commander of the 802nd Infantry Brigade based in Ormoc City, while their eldest sibling, Monsignor Tirso Dolina, is the chief military chaplain of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. All three brothers were former seminarians. (FREEMAN)