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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Oriental Mindoro town mayor, business permit officer suspended for allowing cockfights by a firm with no franchise

Oriental Mindoro town mayor, business permit officer suspended for allowing cockfights by a firm with no franchise

Published Mar 28, 2023 08:54 am
The Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) has ordered the six-month suspension without pay of Mayor German D. Rodegerio of Gloria town in Oriental Mindoro for simple misconduct by allowing a firm, which does not have a franchise, to hold cockfights in the municipality. Also ordered suspended was Wilfredo M. Sabado, the town’s business permit and licensing officer. The OMB, however, dismissed the charges against Rodegario, Sabado, seven other town officials, and a private individual for grave misconduct and violation of Section 4(a)(c) of Republic Act No. 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees. Cleared were Sangguniang Bayan members Rodolfo S. Dapito, Crispin J. Bawasanta, Lauro L. De Belen, and Norma R. Paz; former Association of Barangay Council (ABC) president Henry S. Soberano; ABC President Gregorio G. Favorito, and SK President Rose Ann Mae D. Balbastro. "Dapito, Bawasanta, De Belen, Paz, Soberano, Favorito, and Balbastro are admonished to be more circumspect in expressing their sentiments and opinions and reminded that they should at all times uphold the provisions of the law," the OMB said. The complaint against private respondent Nicolas C. Jamilla Jr., owner of the Gloria Cockpit Arena (GCA), was dismissed for lack of jurisdiction The municipal employees were accused of giving unwarranted benefits to Jamilla by allowing him to hold cockfights in the municipality even if he does not possess a franchise from the Sangguniang Bayan to operate a cockpit. The complaint stated that Rodegerio and Sabado issued a total of 127 Mayor's Permits in favor of GCA, thus allowing the firm to hold cockfights for at least four times a week from Dec. 31, 2018 up to Nov. 9, 2019. "This Office finds respondents Rodegerio and Sabado administratively liable for Simple Misconduct only and dismisses the other charges against them, as well as the complaint against all the other respondents," the OMB’s decision stated. It said that the issuance of the 127 Mayor's Permits is not sufficient proof that their acts were motivated with corruption, or that they acted in flagrant violation of the law. It also found that the other respondents did not violate any law when they knowingly voted for the continued operation of GCA despite its lack of franchise.
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