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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Ombudsman suspends for 6 months Marikina City building official, 6 engineering personnel

Ombudsman suspends for 6 months Marikina City building official, 6 engineering personnel

Published Jun 10, 2024 05:30 am

The Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) has ordered the preventive suspension for six months of seven officials of the Marikina City Engineering Department due to the alleged solicitation of bribes in exchange for the fast tracking of building and occupancy permits.

Ordered suspended were City Engineer and Building Official Kennedy V. Sueno, Enforcement Section Chief Romeo G. Gutierrez, Jr., Building Inspector and Zoning Officer II Marlito E. Poquiz, Electrical Inspector and Electrician Foreman Alex V. Copreros, Engineer III Mark E. De Joya, Secretary and Administrative Aide III Abigail Joy C. Santiago a.k.a. Abby Salvador, and Electrician Foreman Manuel V. Santos.

"This Office finds sufficient grounds for the issuance of an Order for Preventive Suspension against respondents Sueno, Gutierrez, Poquiz, Corpreros, De Joya, Santiago,  and Santos considering that there is strong evidence showing their guilt," the OMB said in an order signed by Ombudsman Samuel R. Martires.

The order also stated: "The charges against them for grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service may warrant their removal from the service; their continued stay in office may prejudice the investigation of the case filed against them; to preserve documents and evidence pertaining to this case which respondents have control and custody; and to avert the commission of further malfeasance and misfeasance in office by the respondents (those suspended)."

The complaint against the seven city officials were filed by spouses Brian and Agnes Torres who applied for a building permit at the Marikina City Engineering Office sometime in August 2021.

The couple alleged that they underwent "numerous obstacles" during the approval process, including the payment of P430,000 upon pressure exerted by the City Engineering staff. The spouses said the permit was not released.

They said that in September 2021 they were approached by a former employee of city's Rescue 161 to help in the processing of the permit with the assistance of De Joya and an individual named "Don." The couple then proceeded to construct a simple fence-like structure within their compound in mid November 2021, but they were issued a Violation Notice.

They also said the construction was suspended from Dec. 20, 2021 to Jan. 20, 2022, and they were allegedly given a run around until April 19, 2022 when they received a Notice of Revocation of their Building Permit.

After examining their complaint, the OMB agreed that there was "deep-seated corruption" within the city government of Marikina, as it has become the modus operandi of city officials to solicit monetary considerations in every step of the permit process.

"The pervasive nature of this corruption undermines the fairness and transparency of government procedures, ultimately eroding public trust in the integrity of governance," the OMB order stressed. 

Related Tags

Preventive suspension Ombudsman Samuel Martires MARIKINA LGU MARIKINA CITY Ombudsman
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