The Office of the Ombudsman Philippines has taken another concrete accountability step in Cebu, filing graft charges against Minglanilla’s suspended mayor, vice mayor, 10 councilors and municipal administrator over the alleged blocking of a quarry rehabilitation plan backed by environment agencies.
The case moves the dispute from LGU resistance to court scrutiny. Filed before the Regional Trial Court in Naga City, Cebu, it accuses the officials of violating Section 3(e) of RA 3019, the Anti-Graft law.
Charged were suspended Mayor Rajiv Enad, Vice Mayor Elanito Peña, Municipal Administrator Junrie Casquejo Bragat, and councilors Oscar Cañares Dela Calzada Jr., Samuel Gordsin Adlawan Jr., Jesus Denoyo Velez, Jeremias Llanos Cañares, Jaime Secretarya Caumeran, Jenifer Dejan Lariosa, Proserfina Laput Fajutrao, Jenny Zafra Young, Petronilo Entera Traya and Rick Ryan Zafra.
The complaint came from Jomara Konstruct Corporation and Jomara Agri Foods and Supply Corporation. They submitted the plan after ground cracks were reported on a quarry in Sitio Napo, Barangay Guindarohan in December 2021.
The Mines and Geosciences Bureau conducted a geohazard assessment. The Environmental Management Bureau later issued a Cease-and-Desist Order. The Ombudsman said the plan had support from the MGB, EMB and Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office, but the Sangguniang Bayan denied it and applications for a Special Waste Disposal Permit.
The Ombudsman said respondents acted with “evident bad faith, manifest partiality, or gross inexcusable negligence when they disapproved the complainants’ Rehabilitation Plan despite Department of Environment and Natural Resources’s partial lifting of the CDO for its implementation.”
It also found an “unwarranted benefit, advantage or preference” for competitors and “concerted acts” showing conspiracy after SB Resolution No. 271 denied the plan and Enad approved it.
The complaint against the acting Sangguniang Bayan Secretary was dismissed for lack of merit. Enad, Peña and the 10 councilors are serving a one-year preventive suspension issued in February.
