Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. on Wednesday, June 15 said that top officials of the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) have been ordered to explain why they should not face administrative disciplinary proceedings following allegations of extortion.
Ochoa said a show-cause order had been issued on Monday, June 13 against LLDA General Manager Rodrigo Cabrera, Engineering Division Chief Donato Rivera, Jr. and Lake Management Division Head Jacqueline Dabu based on the accusation of fish pen owner, Dr. Charlie Tan that "the three tried to extort money from him".
Tan alleged that Cabrera and two other LLDA officials demanded "P300,000.00 in exchange for the approval of his request to transfer the locations of his fish pens" – a violation of the Anti-Graft and Corruption Practices Act (RA 3019) and the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees (RA 6713).
The three were given five days from receipt of the show cause order to submit their comment to the Office of the Executive Secretary.
The Office of the President exercises jurisdiction over Cabrera, who is a presidential appointee. Rivera and Dabu, while not presidential appointees, are covered by the order "for having allegedly acted in conspiracy" with Cabrera.
Last Friday, June 10, Cabrera took a 60-day leave from office in order to give the Office of the President "a free hand in the conduct of a fair and unprejudiced investigation."
Palace Suspends Wendell Barreras Sulit
Malacañang has formally charged and placed under a 90-day preventive suspension Special Prosecutor Wendell Barreras Sulit for graft and betrayal of public trust in connection with the questionable plea bargain deal she had entered into with retired Maj. Gen. Carlos F. Garcia.
In a two-page formal charge signed by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. and issued on Tuesday, Sulit was suspended for three months to ensure that there will be no tampering with evidence and interference in her investigation.
"Pending investigation of said charges, respondent (Sulit) is hereby placed under preventive suspension for a period of 90 days, effective upon receipt of the order considering the seriousness of the charges, the existence of prima facie case against respondent that she is probably guilty as charged which warrants her removal from the service. Respondent’s continuance in the office may pose threat to the safety and integrity of the record and other evidence," the Palace stated in the order.
According to Malacañang, Sulit violated existing rules and jurisprudence when she "knowingly and willfully" entered into a plea bargain deal with Garcia in the latter’s P303-million plunder case pending before the Sandiganbayan.
The Palace alleged that Sulit, together with her deputies, "impaired deliberately the case for the prosecution by ignoring and abandoning evidence favorable to the interest of the government and presenting evidence adverse to its cause."
It also alleged that Sulit failed to discharge her mandated duty of prosecuting erring public officials with utmost responsibility, integrity and professional competence.
Sulit was also accused of causing undue injury to the government and gave unwarranted benefits to Garcia through "manifest partiality, evident bad faith and gross inexcusable negligence."
Malacañang gave Sulit a period of 10 days within which to submit her answer to the formal charge before the Office of the Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs.
The administrative case against Sulit was an offshoot of an investigation conducted by the House Committee on Justice into the plea bargain agreement between the Office of the Ombuds-man and Garcia.
The House panel
recommended that Sulit be dismissed from the service for culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust. /MP
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