CEBU CITY–Key officials were among the 26 employees of the Mandaue City Hall who were suspended by the Office of the Ombudsman  for padlocking a property that has a private claimant.  

Among those suspended for nine months without pay are the OIC head of the Housing and Urban Development Office, the assistant head of the Assessor's Office, and the head of the janitorial services unit.

The suspension stemmed from a complaint regarding the demolition and padlocking of a property that is subject of an ownership conflict between the city government and private claimants Maria Priscila Melendres and Maritoni Melendres.

“Makalipay gyud kaayo nga finally, nakab-ot namo ang hustisya. Dili lalim mabiktima ug grabeng pang-abuso gikan sa gobyerno sa Mandaue (We are happy that finally, we achieved justice. It was not easy to become a victim of grave abuses by the government of Mandaue),” said Maria Priscila.

The decision, which found Mandaue City government officers guilty of "conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service," stated that the respondents were "not clothed with the authority" to execute the demolition. 

The Notice to Demolish from the City Legal Officer was addressed to the head of the Office of the Building Official, and not to any of the respondents.

Among the top ranking officials included in the order for nine months suspension without pay are Johnbee Biton, OIC of the city's housing department, Julius Caesar Entise, assistant assessor, and Teodorico Montojo II, head of the Janitorial and Security Services Unit.

The demolition and padlocking of the contested property in Barangay Paknaan was done on May 3, 2023. 

Maria Priscila and Maritoni Melendrez filed the complaint, stating that the property belongs to them having bought it from their grandmother, and that they were inside the property when the City Hall employees "swarmed" the property, closed the front entrance and padlocked the two other gates.

They presented to the Ombudsman some documents showing that they own the property, although with annotation also of the City's claim. 

They filed the complaint for oppression, grave misconduct, conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, and violation of the Constitution and the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.
 

The city officials, in their counter-affidavits, stated that they did not detain the complainants, and that only two of the three entrances were closed. 

The City officials also debunked or discredited the Melendreses' claim of ownership, stating that their grandmother was a holder of a foreshore lease.

The Ombudsman’s order, however, said that the respondents’ liability “more appropriately falls under Conduct Prejudicial to the Best Interest of the Service.

“The City’s directive… was not expressly addressed to any of the respondents. Essentially, respondents were not clothed with any authority in doing the questioned demolition and padlocking. What is more, the same appears to have been done without going through the legal process,” according to the Ombudsman decision.

“By acting with less than a clear and express legal mandate, respondents tarnished the image and integrity of their respective public offices,” read the decision.

Assistant Ombudsman Pilarita Lapitan signed an Indorsement dated Jan. 24, 2025 referring the decision of suspension without pay to the Human Resource Division of the Mandaue City Government, “for information and proper action."