THE Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the preventive suspension of Bohol Governor Erico Aumentado over the controversial construction of the Captain’s Peak Resort in the world-famous Chocolate Hills.
Aumentado and 68 respondents were charged for grave misconduct, gross neglect of duty and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.
Among those charged were former Bohol Gov. Art Yap, former and incumbent mayors in Bohol, and former and current regional directors of various government agencies.
“While it is painful and saddening that this happened, we are hoping that everything will be given a fair and just resolution,” Aumentado said through a live streamed video on the province’s social media page.
“As public servants at the helm of the provincial government, we take our responsibility seriously to preserve the natural wonders of our province so that the next generation can enjoy them as well,” he said.
Aumentado said he received the order from the Office of the Ombudsman yesterday morning.
The preventive suspension stemmed from the establishment of Captain’s Peak Garden and Resort built alongside the Unesco-declared Global Geopark in the town of Sagbayan.
The Bohol governor said an investigation into the construction of the resort is still ongoing in the Senate and Congress.
The six-month preventive suspension comes without pay, except when the delay in the disposition of the Ombudsman’s case is “due to their fault, negligence, or petition, in which case the period of delay shall not be counted in computing the period of preventive suspension.”