Ombudsman orders mayor of Tuguegarao dismissed
>> Saturday, February 18, 2017
TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan — The Office of the Ombudsman
has ordered the dismissal of Mayor Jefferson Soriano of this city for allegedly
allowing the illegal operation of a transport terminal in 2013.
In a resolution recently signed by
Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales, Soriano was found guilty of administrative
offenses of grave misconduct and abuse of authority.
The Department of the Interior and
Local Government (DILG) was directed to “immediately” implement the dismissal
order.
Aside from his dismissal, the ombudsman
also ordered Soriano's perpetual disqualification from holding public office,
forfeiture of his retirement benefits and the cancellation of his civil service
eligibility.
Based on the ombudsman investigation,
Soriano, in October 2013, issued a letter directing all bus, van and jeepney
operators and drivers to vacate their terminals within the Poblacion, citing
Ordinance 02-97 which gave the city government authority to designate parking
areas.
Soriano then issued on Dec. 20, 2013 a
provisional permit to operate in favor of One Way Parking Terminal, Inc.
(OWPTI) allegedly without the necessary prior approval of the City Council.
The ombudsman said that it was only the same day that
Soriano endorsed to the City Council OWPTI's application for operation.
“[Soriano] committed a corrupt act when he gave
unwarranted benefit, advantage or preference to OWPTI through manifest
partiality by issuing the provisional permit without prior ordinance and
authorization from the Sanggunian (Council),” Morales said in the resolution.
The ombudsman further said that aside
from having no permit to operate, the OWPTI also did not have a legislative
franchise from the City Council.
“Soriano abused his authority and
flagrantly disregarded established rule since he put the cart before the horse
by issuing the permit without authorization by the Sanggunian,” the ombudsman
said.
The ombudsman in 2015 charged Soriano
of graft before the Sandiganbayan in connection with the alleged anomalous
purchase of P131.5 million worth of rubber boats during his stint as the
chairman of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Bids and Awards Committee in
2009. The case is pending at the Sandiganbayan Third Division.
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