ILOILO – The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the dismissal of Zarraga mayor Ma. Jofel Soldevilla and Vice Mayor Michael Omar Lacson after finding them guilty of grave misconduct over a P11.6-million land purchase from the vice mayor’s family estate — a deal the anti-graft body ruled as tainted with conflict of interest.
In a 22-page decision dated September 12, 2025, Ombudsman Samuel Martires, with concurrence from Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Jose Mercado Balmeo Jr., found Soldevilla and Lacson “administratively liable” for grave misconduct over the 6,585-square-meter property transaction, which involved land owned by Lacson’s late father.
As a result, both officials were ordered dismissed from government service, with forfeiture of retirement benefits and perpetual disqualification from public office.
They are also barred from taking the civil service examination.
The case stemmed from a complaint filed by former Sangguniang Bayan (SB) member Andre Bon Sumagayasay, who questioned the resolution authorizing Soldevilla to purchase land that belonged to Lacson’s family — a move he said violated ethical norms in public procurement.
Records showed that Lacson, who at the time served as SB Member and chairman of the Committee on Housing and Land Use, sponsored the resolution that paved the way for the municipal government’s purchase of the property. The Ad Hoc Municipal Appraisal Committee, created by Soldevilla, subsequently determined the lot’s value.
Lacson, however, maintained that he had no hand in the decision-making process, arguing he was not directly involved once the resolution had been approved.
Aside from the dismissal of the two top officials, several other municipal officers were also penalized. SB members Jose Jeffren Millan, Rolando Papa, Nelida Octaviano, and Mark Andrian Sulolayon, along with Municipal Accountant Era Lerdon, Municipal Budget Officer Glezil Mae Lozañez, and Municipal Treasurer Leonora Pauya, were ordered suspended for six months without pay.
Papa, who lost in the May 2025 elections, was fined an amount equivalent to six months’ salary.
Sumagayasay’s complaint also alleged procedural lapses.
The Ombudsman’s decision underscored that public officers must “act in the best interest of their constituents” and avoid any transaction that undermines integrity and accountability in governance.
Meanwhile, a criminal case for violation of Republic Act No. 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, is still pending against Soldevilla and Lacson in relation to the same transaction.
Both officials are preparing to file a motion for reconsideration. According to reports from Bombo Radyo Iloilo, they will challenge the Ombudsman’s decision, claiming it was devoid of due process and sufficient legal basis. They will seek a full review of the evidence and proceedings./PN
