Ombudsman suspends Tabuk mayor, absolves five officials

By Aldwin Quitasol

TABUK CITY – The Office of the Ombudsman ordered the mayor here to serve 6-month suspension  for simple misconduct while five other government officials where absolved.
    The consolidated decision of the Ombudsman was only made available this July 2023.
Said decision resolved various affidavit-complaints for grave misconduct and grave abuse of authority filed by Ronnel Bumatay, Tabuk City Vice Mayor Bernard Glenn Dao-as and the National Bureau of Investigation-Cagayan Valley Regional Office.
    Respondents were Tabuk City Mayor Darwin Estrañero, City Health Officer Henrietta Linden S. Bagayao, City Administrator and Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) head Arnold G. Tenedero, City Legal Officer and BAC member Arthur G. Kub-ao, Bids Awards Committee member engineer Juanito Amangan, General Service Officer and BAC member Elmer M. Agliam, City Budget Officer and Bac member Edgar B. Sannadan, and City Accountant Mary Grace Pocais.
    The following cases were filed by Bumatay with the Office of the Ombudsman -- OMB-C-A 21-0076, an administrative case for grave misconduct, OMB-C-A 21-0080, 82-86 filed by Tabuk City Vice Mayor Dao-as, and OMB-C-A 22-0023 filed by NBI-CVRO.
    In Bumatay's case against the public officials, he alleged that the requirements for shopping as alternative mode of procurement of PPE's in the year 2020 was not strictly observed as one of the bidders is not a supplier of medical supplies and equipment. Bumatay also alleged that the PPE prices indicates in the purchase request (PR) were overpriced.     Meanwhile, in the OMB-C-A 21-0080 and 83, Dao-as noted the irregularities in the procurement of K-95 masks as necessary requirements or papers were absent. 
I    n case OMB-C-A 21-0082, Dao-as cited “irregularity of procurement of medical supplies by awarding the contract to a company not legally qualified to such.”
    The said contract was issued on May 2020.
    Case number 0084 was “irregularity” of procurement for non-submission of mandatory documentary requirements, violation of the price freeze circulars by the Dept. of Health and other issuances and prohibitions against profiteering and price manipulation and disregarding qualified suppliers; and  number 0085 is on the irregular purchase of PPE suits without the mandatory documentary requirements, violation of the price freeze circulars by the Dept. of Health and other issuances and prohibitions against profiteering and price manipulation and disregarding qualified suppliers.
    Case 0086 was a complaint on “irregular purchase” of thermal scanners without submitting mandatory documentary requirements and violation of the price freeze circulars by the DOH and other issuances and prohibitions against profiteering and price manipulation and disregarding qualified suppliers.
    The case of NBI-CVRO, numbered 22-0023, is based on its investigation on the complaints of irregularities. 
    In the decision, the Ombudsman found Estrañero guilty of simple misconduct and was meted six-month suspension.
The cases against the other five respondents were dismissed because for lack of substantial evidences