Ombudsman suspends Agusan Mayor over demolition

DAVAO CITY,  Philippines — The Office of the Ombudsman suspends Buenavista, Agusan del Norte  Mayor Norberto Pagaspas, License Inspector Isaias Oraiz, Jr., Market Supervisor Jairus Arapan and Security Guard Armando Malaki over demolition of a stall.

The cases against Pagaspas and other local officials stemmed from illegal demolition a market stall owned by complainant Mildred Estelliori on JUly 31, 2016.

In her complaint, Estelliori  narrated that her store “stocks were dumped and littered inside the municipality’s market office. Worse, the refrigerator, flat screen television, water machine, coffee machine, stand trays and grocery goods, with an estimated total value of P25,000.00 were lost.”

In his counter-affidavit, respondent Pagaspas claimed that “the market stall was ordered closed after complainant defaulted in her payments.”

During the investigation, the Ombudsman found  that respondents “failed to comply with the requirements under Section 8 of Municipal Ordinance No. 06-91, or the Buenavista Market Code of 1991.

TheSection 8 of said  Ordinance  requires prior written recommendation of the Market Supervisor, the Municipal Treasurer, the Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator, duly approved by the Sangguniang Bayan and the Municipal Mayor, before any demolition of a market stall may be undertaken.”

In its decision, the Ombudsman found that Pagaspas and other local officials failed to give proper attention to a required task or to discharge a duty due to carelessness or indifference.

The Ombudsman directed the Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government to implement the decision.-ezc/Newsline.ph