[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading heading=’Former Iloilo PENRO chief nowhere to be found ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”]
Wednesday, June 14, 2017
[/av_textblock]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”]
ILOILO City – Where is the former Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) chief of the Iloilo provincial government?
Soledad Sucaldito, currently the executive director of the provincial government’s El Niño task force, has yet to be served her dismissal order for grave misconduct and gross negligence.
She has not reported at the capitol since last week, according to Provincial Legal Office chief Atty. Dennis Ventilacion.
On June 8 Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr. ordered Sucaldito’s dismissal from the service.
Sucaldido was accused of accepting bribe while heading the PENRO. While under investigation, she was removed from the PENRO and made the chief of Task Force El Niño.
According to Ventilacion, capitol’s Human Resources and Management Office was tasked to serve Sucaldito’s dismissal order.
“We are entertaining the possibility nga ipa-serve sa ila balay,” said Ventilacion.
Human Resources and Management Office chief Alma Ravena said she would ways for Sucaldito to personally receive the order even if this meant going to the official’s house in Santa Barbara, Iloilo.
A copy of the dismissal order was already sent to Sucaldito’s legal counsel, Atty. Victor Decida, said Ravena.
As El Niño task force head, Sucaldito held office at the Provincial Agriculture Office. According to Provincial Agriculturist Ildefonso Toledo, however, he had no supervisory authority over Sucaldito.
Sucaldito was given 15 days from receipt of the dismissal to appeal the decision.
“Basta ma-receive sa iya address, the 15-day period is deemed to have started,” said Ventilacion.
CASE BACKGROUND
A committee that Governor Defensor formed 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.
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./PN
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
