The Office of the Ombudsman has filed two separate graft charges against Borbon, Cebu Vice Mayor Noel Dotillos before the Regional Trial Court in Bogo City over the unauthorized release of a municipal anniversary bonus in 2019 and the contracting of his wife as municipal health officer in 2024 when he was still municipal mayor.

The Ombudsman denied the motion for reconsideration filed by Dotillos and Municipal Budget Officer Teresita Cabahug and affirmed its earlier finding of probable cause to prosecute the officials.

One of the cases stemmed from the release of a ₱570,000 anniversary bonus to municipal employees in 2019 without an appropriation from the Sangguniang Bayan.

Dotillos and Cabahug argued that the absence of an appropriation for the anniversary bonus was merely a procedural lapse and did not automatically constitute graft.

They maintained that the bonus was approved and processed in good faith, believing it was lawful and beneficial to municipal employees.

However, the Ombudsman was not persuaded and upheld its earlier ruling.

“With no appropriation to support the subject disbursement, the Municipality of Borbon suffered undue injury in the amount of ₱570,000 as this sum was never supposed to be disbursed as an anniversary bonus. Simply put, the municipal government had no budget for an anniversary bonus, but respondents-movants authorized its grant anyway,” the ruling said.

In a separate case, Dotillos allegedly failed to secure prior authorization from the Sangguniang Bayan when he entered into a contract of service with his wife, retired municipal health officer Dr. Corazon Dotillos, in 2024.

The arrangement allowed Dr. Dotillos to continue serving as municipal health officer and receive compensation after her retirement.

Dr. Dotillos retired in 2021 and was granted two six-month extensions by the Civil Service Commission.

The Ombudsman said Dotillos exhibited manifest partiality or evident bad faith in entering into the contract of service with his wife.

Prosecutors alleged that the transaction gave unwarranted benefit or advantage to the mayor’s spouse and was prejudicial to public service and public interest.

“The claim that there are no physicians available or willing to work as MHO in Borbon, Cebu, is self-serving. There is no proof that the plantilla item was ever published after respondent Corazon’s retirement, and any effort was made to secure a permanent appointment for such a position. Every contract renewal required the passage of a new SB Resolution. Respondent Noel exhibited manifest partiality and/or evident bad faith when he renewed his wife’s COS on 15 April 2024 without securing the corresponding SB authorization,” the ruling said.

The Ombudsman recommended bail of ₱90,000 for each charge.