2 Gwen staff charge Magpale, Garbo, 6 others

CEBU, Philippines - For padlocking the Office of the Governor without prior notice, two employees of suspended Governor Gwendolyn Garcia filed criminal and administrative complaints against acting Governor Agnes Magpale and seven others before the Office of the Visayas Ombudsman last Monday.

Executive Assistant V Elizabeth Francia and Security Assistant IV Amor Pepito-Sarmiento said the acts of the respondents constitute grave abuse of authority, gross misconduct, conduct unbecoming of a public official, oppression, grave coercion and violation of the Anti-graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Named respondents are Magpale, Police Regional Office (PRO)-7 Director Marcelino  Garbo, head of the Regional Public Safety Battalion (RPSB)-7 Supt. Leopoldo Cabanag, Garbo’s Chief of Staff Senior Supt. Eduardo Caranza, member of RPSB-7 Police Insp. Alvin Enguito, Atty. Dara Acusar, Provincial Administrator Eduardo  Habin and Acting Provincial Engineer Hector Jamora.

On January 30, Magpale ordered Habin, Jamora, Valentino Cruz, head of the Civil Security Unit and the chief of Security of the Tactical Security Agency assigned at the Capitol to secure the Office of the Governor.

Francia and Sarmiento said prior to the padlocking , they were not given prior notice.

At around 3 p.m., while Garcia was out to attend the unveiling of the site for the proposed whale shark watching area and briefing center in Oslob, they noticed the presence of policemen outside the office.

They later learned that the policemen were supervised by Habin and Jamora and they followed the orders from Magpale and Garbo. 

Francia and Sarmiento said they were told to immediately leave and  Habin accompanied by Acusar gave them a copy of the memorandum.

Francia said when she asked Habin why there was no prior notice or warning of the closure, Acusar allegedly interrupted and told her “in a stern voice” that they have been informed “several weeks ago.”

The power supply of the Governor’s Office was then shut down.

When Francia went to the comfort room, the police officers blocked her from going back to her office despite her plea.

“Finally, after about 20 minutes of pushing and shoving, I was finally able to get back inside our office, and I was sweating profusely, and my whole body ached form the pressure for the bodies of the policemen being pressed against me during the struggle,” the complaints stated.

Francia added Magpale violated her “bounden duty” under the Local Government Code when they have been removed from their proper office.

 With the presence of the uniformed policemen and the actuations of the respondents, the complainants added, it was “a clear display of material force enough to cause panic, intimidation and fear” not just them but also their other co-employees.

For his part, Garbo explained they acted the request of Magpale to give security assistance at the Provincial Capitol.

“We are just performing our job in providing security assistance as requested by Governor Magpale,” Garbo said in a phone interview.

“We think this is just squid tactics,” said Acusar, Magpale’s spokesperson for legal and media affairs.

She said the cases were filed to divert them from the real issues.

Acusar added that they  will not let these distract them from the bigger concerns.

Acusar said apart from the controversy about the purchase of the Balili property, Acusar said that they are also concern as well on the 2011 findings of the Commission on Audit on P3 billion worth of misdeclared property, plant and equipment expenses.

Acusar said they also need to check the P192.9M worth of contracts that have no approval from the Provincial Board.— (FREEMAN)