The eight Bacolod City government executives who were cleared in the administrative and criminal cases related to the procurement of almost P50 million worth of furniture and fixtures for the Bacolod City Government Center were reinstated to their posts effective yesterday.
Mayor Evelio Leonardia issued a memorandum directing the concerned employees to return to their positions almost two years after they were found guilty and ordered dismissed by the Office of the Ombudsman.
The decision was later reversed by the Court of Appeals (CA), and became final and executory, and entered in the Book of Entries and Judgements of the Supreme Court’s Third Division.
Those reinstated were Goldwyn Nifras, as head of the City Agriculture Office; Nelson Sedillo, head of the Department of Public Services; Belly Aguillon, city engineer; Eduardo Ravena, former city accountant; Aladino Agbones, assistant city engineer; Jaries Ebenezer Encabo, architect IV at the City Engineer’s Office; and Melvin Recabar, assistant city general services officer.
Luzviminda Treyes, who has already reached the mandatory retirement age of 65, can no longer return to her previous post as city budget officer, and will process her retirement papers instead.
All eight comprised the Bids and Awards Committee and its Technical Working Group when the procurement took place about 10 years ago.
Leonardia, who is also a respondent in both administrative and criminal cases, announced their reinstatement in a press briefing with City Legal Officer Joselito Bayatan held at the MassKara Hall of the Government Center yesterday.
“I’m glad they are all back. They play big roles in the City Hall,” the mayor said.
He added that facing the cases together has been a learning and enriching experience for all of them.
“This is a vindication. We learned so much,” he said.
Nifras, who spoke on behalf of his co-respondents, said they are just glad the time has finally come for them to return to their posts.
“We thank God for this. We also thank the mayor for the support,” he added.
Bayatan said justice has prevailed for the eight and they have been vindicated.
“(They) will automatically be reinstated today. Not only reinstated, but also entitled to back wages and other privileges,” he added.
Bayatan said the City Legal Office received on Dec. 6 the notice of the entry of judgement of the CA’s April 25, 2018 resolution in the SC’s records on July 27, 2018.
The eight were the co-respondents of Leonardia in the administrative and criminal cases related to the alleged illegal procurement of the said furniture and fixtures in 2008.
In January 2017, the Office of the Ombudsman ordered the dismissal from the service of the mayor and the eight others after they were found guilty of grave misconduct and gross neglect of duty, and also the filing of criminal charges of violation of Section 3 (e) of Republic Act 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act) against them.
On Sept. 6, 2017, the Visayas Station of CA 18th Division in Cebu City reversed the dismissal order of the Ombudsman related to the administrative case against Leonardia and the eight city executives.
In January this year, the Sandiganbayan Fourth Division also dismissed the criminal charges of one count each for violation of Section 3 (e) against Leonardia and his eight co-respondents.* (Nanette Guadalquiver, w/ a report from Edith Colmo/NDB)