Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia yesterday said he has dismissed four of the six city employees charged for alleged tampering of receipts during the Valdez administration, in compliance with an order from the Office of the Ombudsman.

The case was filed by the Commission on Audit Regional Office VI against Management and Audit Service officer-in-charge Ricardo Dahildahil Jr., Crafts and Trade helper Salvacion Ortega, accountant IV Eduardo Ravena, Office of the City Treasurer clerk II Lalaine Villalva, former executive assistant Renato Rojo and former city accountant Pioquito Quinones.

Rojo and Quiñones are already deceased.

The administrative disciplinary cases against the six city employees stemmed fromthe alleged tampering of receipts during the incumbency of former Mayor Luzviminda Valdez. A separate case was filed against Valdez before the Sandiganbayan.

Leonardia, through City Legal Officer Joselito Bayatan, received the official order on July 5, 2012 and issued a memorandum order dated that same day dismissing Dahildahil, Ortega, Ravena and Villalva from service.

In the memorandum, Leonardia said he is “implementing immediately the decision of their administrative case notwithstanding the pending resolution of their motion for reconsideration”.

Leonardia cited the directive of acting director Juris Narvios-Tanco which states that “the filing of the motion for reconsideration or a petition for review before the Office of the Ombudsman does not operate to stay the immediate implementation of the Ombudsman decisions, orders or resolutions.”

Dahildahil, Ortega and Ravena were on leave while Villalva has refused to receive the order, saying the case is on appeal.

Bayatan said “ever since this issue came out, we repeatedly stated that we will obey the Order of the Ombudsman.”

But in the event that the motion for reconsideration filed by the respondents is reversed in their favor, the city will surely reinstate them. In the meantime, the city will obey the decision, he said.

Leonardia said they are going to find someone to replace Ravena as City Accountant.

Ravena said he will call for a press conference today.

Bayatan said the decision of the Ombudsman was dated March 7, 2007 yet but they only received it officially on April 26, 2011.

They communicated the matter to the Ombudsman Cebu but got no response. It was only Narvios-Tanco of the Ombudsman Iloilo, who replied and attached the memorandum circular of then Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez to the letter, he said.*CGS

back to top