Ombudsman files graft vs Cebu town mayor, vice mayor, 11 others

MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Ombudsman filed graft charges against a mayor, vice mayor, 10 Sangguniang Bayan members, and the municipal administrator of Minglanilla town in Cebu for allegedly blocking a rehabilitation bid to a quarry site, a move the charged chief executive said was done to “protect” the town residents.

State prosecutors charged Minglanilla town mayor Rajiv Enad, town vice mayor Elanito Peña, 10 Sangguniang Bayan members, and the municipal administrator for graft before the Regional Trial Court in Naga, Cebu.

This stemmed from the local government’s repeated refusal to approve a Rehabilitation Plan submitted by complainants Jomara Konstruct Corporation and Jomara Agri Foods and Supply Corporation.

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Following reports of ground cracks on top of a quarry in December 2021, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) conducted a geohazard assessment, leading the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) to later issue a Cease-and-Desist Order (CDO).

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In response to the safety concerns, the complainants developed a rehabilitation plan. But despite receiving support and technical recommendations from the MGB, the EMB, and the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) of the Minglanilla town, the respondents consistently blocked the plan, according to the Ombudsman.

“Not only did the respondents reject the recommendations of the DENR, they also deliberately ignored the findings and recommendations of the PENRO, MGB and the Sangguniang Barangay of Guindarohan, Minglanilla, Cebu,” the state prosecutor’s ruling said.

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The Ombudsman also found that the respondents’ “concerted acts establish the existence of conspiracy” when respondents Sangguniang Bayan members “deliberately passed” SB Resolution No. 271 series of 2022, denying the complainants’ Rehabilitation Plan, which was approved by Enad.

Charged with Enad and Peña are councilors and Sangguniang Bayan members Oscar Cañares Dela Calzada Jr., Samuel Gordsin Adlawan Jr., Jesus Denoyo Velez, Jeremias Llanos Cañares, Jaime Secretarya Caumeran, Jenifer Dejan Lariosa, Proserfina Laput Fajutrao, Jenny Zafra Young, Petronilo Entera Traya and Rick Ryan Zafra, as well as Minglanilla Municipal Administrator Junrie Casquejo Bragat.

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Enad, Peña, and the said municipal councilors have been serving a one-year preventive suspension issued by the Ombudsman since February.

Enad, in a statement, said the graft case filed against him and the municipal council “did not stem from greed or personal gain, but from our sincere desire to protect the lives of the people of Minglanilla and to safeguard the environment.”

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That being said, the suspended mayor said, “we will face this challenge through the proper legal process.” /cb