BACOLOD CITY: The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Tuesday served the dismissal order to nine city officials and employees found guilty of grave misconduct and gross neglect of duty in connection with a questionable purchase of office furniture. Also dismissed by the Ombudsman in an order issued last month was Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia who secured a temporary restraining order (TRO) from the Court of Appeals. The dismissal order involves the recent ruling of the Ombudsman which found them and Leonardia guilty of grave misconduct and gross neglect of duty in connection with the furniture purchases made between 2008 and 2010, totaling nearly P50 million. The other respondents sought similar legal remedies, but the Ombudsman and the appellate court have yet to act on them. “Since there was no similar CA (Court of Appeals) resolution and TRO issued in their favor, the department shall proceed with implementation of the Ombudsman Joint Resolution,” the letter of local government Undersecretary Austere Panadero.

Source: Manila Times February 08, 2017 13:30 UTC