SUAL, Pangasinan – The former vice mayor and five members
of the legislative body here were criminally and administratively sued at the
Ombudsman by their former mayor for failure to pass the 2019 annual
appropriation budget (AAB).
In the July 10 order signed by Director Joaquin F. Salazar, he directed the respondents to file their respective counter-affidavits on the criminal case of Republic Act 3019 Section (f) (Anti-Graft & Corrupt Practices Act) and an administrative case based on Conduct Prejudicial to the Best Interest of the Service and Gross Neglect of Duty.
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COURTESY CALL - After the sangguniang bayan (SB) regular
legislative session in September 2018 where SB members headed by Vice Mayor Dionesio Caburao and Councilors Ray Edrosolan, Emy Taboy, Michael Millan, Dioneil
Caburao, Danny Vinluan, Alex Osana and League of Barangay’s President Ramon
Sabido paid a courtesy call at the office of Mayor Roberto L. Arcinue. Most of these SB Members were sued at the Ombudsman in June 10, 2019 by the mayor (Photo: Internet Grab)
Salazar said their failure to file their counter affidavits within the ten days’ period upon receipt of the orders shall be deemed waive of the right to submit controverting evidence and the investigation shall proceed accordingly.
“Thereafter, this
case shall be deemed submitted for resolution on the basis of the evidence
presented by the parties, whose presence may be dispensed with, unless
otherwise required for clarificatory questioning,” one of the excerpts of
the order.
Recall that in January 15, 2019, February 11, 2019, and
May 15, 2019 then mayor Arcinue wrote then Vice Mayor Caburao, the members of
the sangguniang bayan, SB Secretary Wilma A. Asuncion for the urgent passing
and approving of an ordinance authorizing the annual budget of the first class
town for Three Hundred and Fifty Million Pesos (Php 350, 000,000.00).
“My office has
transmitted the proposed Annual Budget for FY 2019 with all the necessary
documents pertaining thereto at the sangguniang bayan last October 10, 2018
bearing in mind the earnestness of the approval of the same for the timely and
proper execution of projects and other expenditures covered and/or to be
covered by it,” Arcinue wrote in January 15, 2019.
In his February 11 letter the former chief executive said
that the services in the field of agriculture, education, infrastructure, and
livelihood are dependent on the approval of such.
“Even the permanent
deployment of doctors and nurses at the Sual Primary Care Facility (PCF) relies
on its passing. Our constituents deserve to have the medical assistance to be
provided by these doctors, most specially those who are under-privileged and
destitute of financial resources,” he continued.
In his May 15 letter Arcinue cited that it was already
been seven months and ten days since then, causing the same length of delay of
the delivery of services to our people.
“The non- approval
of our 2019 budget is long overdue and has brought too much determent in the
accurate delivery of the basic needs in the fields of health, education,
agriculture, livelihood as well as in the implementation of peace and order in
the entire town”.
For years, Arcinue continued, we have endeavored to
provide good local governance by meeting the needs of our people but sadly even
the fundamental support we give in times of sickness and emergencies in the
form of financial assistance is impeded because of the postponement of the 2019
Annual Budget’s approval.
In his June 10, 2019 sworn affidavit at the Ombudsman in
Quezon City, Arcinue said that the former vice mayor and the five councilors have demanded frivolous,
unnecessary, and improper requirements for the different departments as a
condition for its passage.
While the respondents did not act on his first letter,
Councilors John Christopher A. Arcinue, Raymundo C. Edrosolan, Juanito B.
Tomagoy, Sr., ABC President Ramonito R. Sabido, and SK President Melody Beltran
requested its approval in May 15, 2019.
Mayor Arcinue
wanted that failure of the six respondents to act on the ordinance will serve
as a stern warning to the present members of the SB, who won the May 13, 2019
poll but procrastinate too, to approve the ordinance to be wary of preventive
suspension and their eventual imprisonment if they are convicted by the
criminal law they violated.
The basis of the criminal case under the Anti-Graft &
Corrupt Practices Act filed by the former mayor was Section 3 paragraph F that
says: Neglecting or refusing, after due demand or request, without sufficient
justification, to act within a reasonable time on any matter pending before him
for the purpose of obtaining, directly or indirectly, from any person
interested in the matter some pecuniary or material benefit or advantage, or
for the purpose of favoring his own interest or giving undue advantage in favor
of or discriminating against any other interested party.
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