By Abe Almirol
FOR the second time, the Ombudsman has ordered the dismissal of Mayor Jefferson Soriano of Tuguegarao City after it found him liable for grave misconduct and abuse of authority in connection with a parking terminal that he allowed to operate without the city council’s approval.
In a 16-page decision, a copy of which was obtained by members of local online news media on Friday, the Ombudsman said Soriano gave “unwarranted benefit, advantage or preference” when he issued a provisional permit to One-Way Parking Terminal Inc. without a franchise that passed legislative approval.
Also implicated were the Tuguegarao City administrator and six city council members, but only Soriano was ordered dismissed. The rest of those charged were cleared by the Ombudsman.
The complaint was filed by certain Sany Grace Bayangan, a secretary of a transport group operating in Tuguegarao.
In her complaint, Bayangan claimed that Soriano “harassed, oppressed and coerced” public utility van operators who refused to leave their present terminals.
Sought for comment on the Ombudsman’s order, Soriano denied “giving favor” to the OWPTI. The mayor said he did not order those in the “illegal parking terminals” to move to the company’s facility.
“I only told them to move out from their terminals because they are not supposed to be there according to an ordinance. How can there be unwarranted benefits there?” Soriano said.
Soriano vowed to challenge the Ombudsman’s order, saying it is his “right under a democracy.”
In 2014, Soriano was ordered dismissed by the Ombudsman for “grave misconduct” but the Court of Appeals reduced the verdict to a three-month suspension, saying the mayor only made a “simple misconduct.”
