The Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) has ordered the suspension for six months of five officials of the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) led by Director General Jeremiah B. Belgica due to the ongoing investigation of the graft charges filed against them.
Aside from Belgica, ordered suspended in an order issued by Ombudsman Samuel R. Martires last May 24 were ARTA Deputy Director General Eduardo V. Bringas, Division Chief Sheryl Pura-Sumagui, Director Jedreck C. Ng, and Director Melamy A. Salvadora-Asperin.
The suspension order was sent to Executive Secretary Salvador C. Medialdea last June 3 for implementation.
Martires explained that the suspension of the officials was done in line with Section 24 of Republic Act No. 6770, the Ombudsman Act of 1989, “to secure the documents and to prevent possible harassment of witnesses and considering that their further stay in office may prejudice the case against them.”
The complaint against the ARTA officials was filed by lawyer Adel A. Tamano, administrative officer of DITO Telecommunity, Inc. Tamano accused them of alleged violations of Section 3(e) of RA 3019, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
“The evidence on record shows that the guilt of respondents Jeremiah B. Belgica, Eduardo V. Bringas, Sheryl Pura Sumagui, Jedrek C. Ng and Melamy A. Salvadora-Asperin is strong and the charges against them involve Neglect of Duty and Conduct Prejudicial to the Best Interest of the Service which may warrant removal from service,” Martires said in his order.
DITO alleged that the ARTA officials gave preferential treatment in favor of NOW Telecom Company. Inc. in the selection process for the New Major Player (NMP) in the telecommunications industry that was conducted by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).
Martires noted that NOW purchased bidding documents but did not participate in the NMP selection process.
“On 18 May 2020, NOW filed a complaint against NTC Commissioner A. Cordova before the ARTA seeking the automatic approval of its various requests for frequency assignments that had already been assigned to DITO as the NMP. On 01 March 2021, ARTA issued a Resolution and an Order of Automatic Approval ordering the assignment of Contingent Frequencies in favor of NOW,” the Ombudsman cited.
“On 09 March 2021, DITO filed a Motion for Leave to Intervene and Admit Motion for Reconsideration. On the other hand, NTC filed a Motion to Vacate the Order of ARTA citing the opinion of Secretary of Justice in OSJ Case No. 01-2020, which clarified that NTC’s proceedings are quasi-judicial in character and are not within the contemplation of the Automatic Approval Clause. In the same OSJ case, the Secretary of Justice also set aside the order of automatic approval that ARTA had previously issued over radio frequencies in favor of another entity,” he added.