THE Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the suspension of a mayor from Leyte for one month and one day without pay.
It ordered the Department of the Interior and Local Government to implement its decision.
Mayor Oscar Monteza of Santa Fe municipality, along with human resource officer Videl Apurillo, was found guilty of simple neglect of duty.
In 2014, the Ombudsman's field investigation office conducted a probe on the illegal use of the town's ambulance (SKA-337) after its apprehension when its driver, Lito Torre, could not provide any trip ticket to the unregistered vehicle.
The anti-graft investigators issued four subpoenas duces tecum received by Apurillo May 6, 2015.
Despite receipt of the subpoenas, no compliance was submitted.
On Jan. 8, the field investigators 2016 sent a letter to Monteza and informed him about his non-compliance.
On March 10, 2016, they reiterated their request for the production of documents, to no avail.
As defense, Monteza said he overlooked the Ombudsman's directive because of his hospitalization due to his heart ailment.
On the other hand, Apurillo claimed pertinent documents were destroyed during Typhoon “Yolanda.”
In a March 7 resolution, the Ombudsman ruled that under Section 26(4) of the Ombudsman Act of 1989 or Republic Act No. 6770, any delay or refusal to comply with the referral or directive of the Ombudsman or by any of the deputies shall constitute a ground for administrative disciplinary action against the officer or employee to whom it was addressed. Rio N. Araja
“The non-compliance of the directive contained in the March 10, 2016 letter and the Aug. 18, 2016 1st tracer are sufficient grounds for administrative disciplinary action against respondent Monteza. He admitted that he had overlooked the directive of the FIO in its March 10, 2016 letter as he was hospitalized during that time. Notably, he failed to substantiate his claim that he was sick as he did not show any medical certificate or any proof that he was indeed hospitalized,” the decions read.