THE Office of the Ombudsman found former National Irrigation Authority acting administrator Benny Antiporda guilty of administrative cases, and imposed a one-year suspension without pay or a fine of equivalent to one year of his salary as NIA chief for harassment and oppression.
The Ombudsman said Antiporda’s acts “failed to live up to the high standards required of a government employee.”
One of Antiporda’s staff complained that the former NIA head ordered the turning off of the electricity in the complainant’s office, violated the flexi-time arrangement, and locked down the office without prior notice.
The Ombudsman said since Antiporda is no longer working at NIA, it will just impose a one-year fine.
The acts, the Ombudsman said, “demonstrate cruelty, severity, unlawful exaction, domination, or excessive use of authority which are tantamount to harassment and oppression.”
“Government employees are supposed to be well-mannered, civil and considerate in their actuations, not only in their relations with the transacting public, but also with their co-workers.”
The Ombudsman, however, said the allegations against Antiporda “do not constitute grave misconduct” as issues of corruption and clear intent to violate the law or rule were “absent in this case.”
Antiporda said he will file for a motion for reconsideration.
“Let me reiterate that this complaint is a product of a concocted scenario to cover up a bigger issue in NIA which involves corruption,” Antiporda said.
“While I can only bow to the wisdom of the Office of the Ombudsman, may I point out that the punishment ordered against me appears unjustifiable and highly prejudicial considering that I only served at the NIA as acting administrator for less than four months. My conscience is clear in declaring that I have faithfully served our country and our people to the best of my ability always guided by my firm belief that every action and decision I made is to advance and protect the well-being and interest of the agency I served. If upholding the public good has become punishable nowadays, then I take things with gladness in my heart,” he added.