Days before Bacolod City Mayor Monico Puentevella ends his term on June 30, the Office of the Ombudsman ordered his suspension on Wednesday for delaying the implementation of an administrative decision involving two city building officials.
In its decision, the Ombudsman found Puentevella guilty of simple misconduct and was ordered suspended for one month and one day.
In July 2014, the Ombudsman issued a suspension order on building official Isidro Sun Jr. and building inspector Jose Maria Makilan for conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.
On Dec. 9, 2015, Puentevella received a directive from the Ombudsman to implement the suspension order on Sun and Makilan.
In a letter-reply, Puentevella maintained “in the spirit of Christmas, the effectivity of the Order is set on Jan. 1, 2015.”
“The Ombudsman Act of 1989 [Republic Act No. 6770] plainly states that decisions of the Office of the Ombudsman are immediately effective and executory and that there is nothing vague or ambiguous with this wording,” the Ombudsman said.
“Neither RA No. 6770 nor the issuances of the [Ombudsman] authorize a head of office or agency to schedule a different date for the effectivity of the Decision.”
The case stemmed from the order of the Office of the Ombudsman in the Visayas to suspend Sun and Makilan for six months and one day after finding them guilty of the administrative offense of conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service in relation to an application of a company for a business permit for the expansion of a mall in Bacolod in 2013.