The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered former Cebu governor Gwendolyn Garcia to pay P1.2 million in fines after they found her guilty of administrative charges.
Garcia was found guilty of conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service and simple misconduct over the desilting project her administration undertook in Mananga River.
The punishment was a one-year suspension without pay. But since Garcia is no longer a public official, the Ombudsman ordered her to pay the fine equivalent to six months of her basic salary when she was then governor of Cebu.
A provincial governor earns between P203,200 and P226,000 per month, based on the Department of Budget and Management’s current compensation scheme.
The case stemmed from Garcia’s issuance of a special permit to Shalom Construction Inc. without the required environmental certificates.
On May 14, 2024, the provincial government issued the permit, allowing Shalom Construction, Inc. to conduct desilting activities in the Mananga and Lusaran Rivers—both located within the Central Cebu Protected Landscape.
Based on the complaint against Garcia, the permit was issued without an environmental compliance certificate or a certificate of non-coverage from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and without prior consultation with relevant agencies.
