By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent
FORMER mayor Vicente Emano is unfazed by the decision of the Office of the Ombudsman to trash the politician’s appeal and to indict him in connection with the case filed by a city hall employee who was displaced from work for years because she was allegedly suspected to be a supporter of Rep. Rolando Uy of the 1st District.
Emano’s lawyer Francis said the former mayor is not worried that the ombudsman has decided to bring his client to the anti-graft court because of the case of Leonor Esparcia, an administrative officer at the city hallun JR Borja Memorial General Hospital.
Esparcia said she was removed from the hospital and turned into a guard at the City Library in 2009 simply because she helped patients access aid from the office of Rep. Uy.
Ku said the ombudsman’s decision would not affect Emano’s mayoral candidacy, saying it would be unlikely for the former mayor to be dusqualified.
Ku said Emano did not violate Republic Act 3019 or the anti-graft law, and that he was only being accused of violation of Section 67, Book V of Executive Order 292 of the Civil Service Commission.
“Kay dili man graft and corruption kini nga kaso, it would mean that this is not a ground to disqualify him,” Ku said.
He said the ombudsman merely held Emano answerable for not implementing an order from the Civil Service Commission (CSC) for him to reinstate Esparcia as administrative officer.
The Ombudsman dismissed Emano’s motion for reconsideration on Dec. 22, 2015 but copies were only sent to Esparcia’s lawyer Rey Raagas late last week.
The decision upheld the ombudsman’s July 15, 2015 ruling that recommended that Emano be brought to the Sandiganbayan or the anti-graft court.
Ku said he and Councilor Leon Gan were looking into the case, and were looking for the appropriate legal remedies.
“Daghan pa kini ang mga legal remedy, amo lang pili-an, kon makig-trial ba kami sa Sandigabayan or mo-apilar sa Court of Appeals or mosaka sa Supreme Court,” saId Ku.
Disclaimer
Mindanao Gold Star Daily holds the copyrights of all articles and photos in perpetuity. Any unauthorized reproduction in any platform, electronic and hardcopy, shall be liable for copyright infringement under the Intellectual Property Rights Law of the Philippines.
