Ombud denies Emano plea, rules to indict

By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent

THE Office of the Ombudsman has denied former mayor Vicente Emano’s motion for reconsideration in connection with the graft case filed by a city hall administrative officer who was turned into a guard and subsequently lost her job because she was suspected of helping patients get aid from Rep. Rolando Uy of the city’s 1st District.

In a seven-page decision made public by Esparcia’s lawyer Rey Raagas yesterday, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales upheld the 2015 decision to bring Emano to the Sandiganbayan for what was done to Leonor Esparcia, and for not reinstating the city hall employee.

The order was signed by Morales, Deputy Ombudsman for Mindanao Rodolfo Elman and graft investigator Charina Sanz on Dec. 22, 2015 but Raagas only received a copy on Friday.

The ombudsman dismissed Emano’s appeal as it affirmed its July 10, 2015 ruling to indict Emano before the anti-graft court for violation of of Sections 3(e) and 3(f) of RA 3019, and civil service rules.

Esparcia complained that she was unceremoniously removed as an administrative employee at the city hall-owned JR Borja Memorial General Hospital in 2009, and then given the menial task of guarding the City Library just because she was suspected of helping patients receive aid from the office of Rep. Uy.

Esparcia subsequently became a displaced employee. But when she won her case before the Civil Service Commission (CSC) years later, Emano allegedly refused to reinstate her despite the Commission’s order.

While she reported back for work in September 2010, Esparcia was allegedly not paid her salary. Her employment problem ended when Mayor Oscar Moreno assumed office in 2013.