MANILA, Philippines – Inilagay ng Office of the Ombudsman sina Marikina City Mayor Marcelino ”Marcy” Teodoro at iba pang opisyal ng lungsod sa preventive suspension nang walang bayad sa loob ng anim na buwan dahil sa umano’y maling paggamit ng pondo ng bayan.
Ang mga miyembro ng Sangguniang Panglunsod ay sina Vice Mayor Mario Andres, Angelito Nunez, Joseph Banzon, Donn Carlo Favjs, Loreto Tolentino, Jr., Serafin Bernardino, Carl Africa, Cloyd Casimiro, Marife Dayao, Levy de Guzman, Romina de Guzman, Kate de Guzman, Samuel Ferriol, Hilario Punzalan, at Manuel Sarmiento.
“This Office finds sufficient grounds to grant complainants’ prayer for the issuance of an Order for Preventive Suspension against respondents. Considering that there is strong evidence showing their guilt, the charges against them for grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service may warrant their removal from the service,” saad sa kautusan ng Ombudsman na may petsang Marso 25.
“Their continued stay in office may prejudice the investigation of the case filed against them; in order to preserve documents and evidence pertaining to this case which they have control and custody; and in order to avoid respondents’ commission of further malfeasance and/or misfeasance in office,” dagdag pa.
Ang suspensyon ay nag-ugat sa reklamo ng residente ng Marikina na si Sofronio Dulay na sinabing si Teodoro at mga co-respondent nito ay gumagamit ng pondo ng PhilHealth para sa non-health purposes katulad ng IT equipment, infrastructure repair, donations at general supplies.
Sa tinukoy na report ng Commission on Audit, sinabi ng Ombudsman na ginastos ng Special Health Fund ng Marikina ang item sa labas ng nararapat na sakop nitong mga health program ng PhilHealth reimbursements, at itinugma sa Ordinance Nos. 066-2023 at 002-2024.
Tinukoy din ng COA ang mga gastos na ito na kulang sa legal na batayan at pinuna bilang
“irregular or unauthorized use of public
funds.”
Sinabi rin ng Ombudsman na sa audit trail ay iniuugnay ang mga desisyon at ang pag-apruba na ginawa ng mga respondent, kabilang na si Teodoro, na nagresulta sa hindi tamang disbursement.
Bilang tugon, sinabi ni Teodoro na ang preventive suspension ay politicallly motivated at layong dungisan ang kanyang reputasyon ngayong siya ay kumakandidato bilang Marikina 1st District Representative.
“I am a casualty of political persecution, plain and simple. In a desperate attempt to besmirch my name, they’ve filed numerous trumped-up charges against me before the Ombudsman, COA, Comelec, Civil Service, and other government agencies,” ani Teodoro.
“The timing is very questionable, just days before the start of the official campaign period. It’s hard not to see this as a calculated political attack meant to damage my name and candidacy and shake the trust we’ve built with our constituents,” dagdag niya. RNT/JGC
