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[av_heading heading=’CAPITOL EXEC AXED | Ex-PENRO chief fired for bribery, negligence’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
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Friday, June 9, 2017
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ILOILO – Accused of bribery, the former chief of the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) was ordered dismissed from the service for grave misconduct and gross negligence.
Soledad Sucaldito, however, was given 15 days from yesterday to appeal her dismissal, said Atty. Dennis Ventilacion, Provincial Legal Office chief.
A committee that Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr. created recommended Sucaldito’s dismissal after almost two years of investigation.
In 2015, two quarry permittees – Aires Octaviano and Ireneo Grabato – filed a complaint against Sucaldito for refusing to issue them with delivery receipts. This adversely affected their operation in Alimodian town, they claimed.
Former quarry permittee Genghis Ferrer also surfaced and accused Sucaldito of receiving bribe.
“Ang reklamo ‘ni about sa pagpatindog sang iya balay nga nag-amot materials ang mga quarry permittees,” said Ventilacion.
Defensor initially ordered a fact-finding investigation which proceeded to the conduct of a formal investigation middle of last year after Sucaldito was formally charged.
While the act-finding team was going over the complaints filed in 2015, Defensor removed Sucaldito from the PENRO and made her an executive officer of the provincial El Niño task force. Atty. Arthuro Cangrejo was made the PENRO officer-in-charge.
A total of six administrative complaints were filed against Sucaldito. These were as follows:
* Administrative Case No. 2016-002 for gross negligence filed by Octaviano and Grabato
*Administrative Case No. 2016-003 for simple negligence filed by Task Force Kalikasan of Janiuay town
* Administrative Case No. 2016-004 for grave misconduct (Sucaldito appointed Leni Supena, her cousin, to the PENRO)
* Administrative Case No. 2016-005 for grave misconduct for bribery filed by Ferrer
* Administrative Case No. 2016-006 for simple misconduct (Sucaldito appointed to the PENRO her daughter Aethene Marie Lorca)
* Administrative Case No. 2016-007 for simple misconduct relative to a travel in Brunei allegedly with quarry permittees
The investigating committee recommended the penalty of dismissal from service for Administrative Case No. 2016-002 and Administrative Case No. 2016-005.
Sucaldito was also found guilty of simple negligence (Administrative Case No. 2016-003) with a penalty of three months and one day suspension.
In the rest of the complaints, she was found not guilty.
Administrative cases were filed against PENRO personnel Supena and Lamberto Marin relative to the Brunei travel but they were found not guilty.
“All the committee’s recommendations were approved by the governor,” said Ventilacion.
As a matter of procedure, Ventilacion said, the effectivity of the dismissal will depend on Sucaldito’s response.
“Kun ma-motion for recommendation s’ya, indi pa na natun ma-implement, may 15 days pa man s’ya,” said Ventilacion.
If her motion for reconsideration is denied, the decision becomes executory even if she files an appeal, he added./PN
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