DEPUTY administrator for legal affairs Randy Escolango of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority is facing a complaint of malfeasance, grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service before the Office of the Ombudsman.
The Citizens Crime Watch represented by its head Diego Magpantay and secretary general Carlo Batalla criticized Escolango for issuing orders and representation in the other transactions of SBMA.
In an 11-page complaint-affidavit, the anti-crime watchdog said Escolango as the officer in charge of the Office of the SBMA Administrator issued several office orders “most of which pertain to movement, designation, detailing, reassignment and appointment of personnel, and memoranda.”
“Worse, respondent even executed and entered into contracts, agreements and instruments for and in behalf of the SBMA,” it read.
The complainants accused Escolango of malfeasance, saying the issuance of orders and memoranda was an exercise of discretionary functions of the duly appointed SBMA administrator or the head, “who is the chairman.”
They said Escolango was just an officer in charge of the SBMA.
According to the complaint, the SBMA deputy administrator for legal affairs also committed gross or grave misconduct
“Moreover, the respondent is a member of the Philippine Bar. Hence, he knew that the acts of issuing the subject office orders and memoranda are all beyond his capacity as a mere officer in charge of the Office of the SBMA Administrator,” it stated.
Magpantay and Batalla alleged the respondent’s act of usurping official functions had tarnished the image and integrity of SBMA, therefore he must be held liable for conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.
“We are filing a complaint-affidavit for usurpation of public functions before the Office of the City Prosecutor, Olongapo City, Zambales involving the same matter,” the duo’s attached verification and certification of non-forum shopping read.
Earlier, Malacañang clarified ex-Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption chairperson Martin Diño was not the SBMA administrator.
In a Nov. 28, 2016 letter, Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Menardo Guevarra informed Diño that Escolango was the appointed officer in charge of the Office of the Administrator of SBMA.
The designation of Escolango came after the Office of the President accepted the resignation of former SBMA chairperson Roberto Garcia, who served as administrator in a holdover capacity.
Diño was appointed SBMA chairman on Sept. 23, 2016 and he assumed office on Oct. 3.
He declared himself as the agency administrator in an Oct. 10 office memorandum.
