ILOILO CITY — Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales has meted former Iloilo City mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog with another dismissal, this time for an anomalous towing deal way back in 2015.
The Ombudsman, in a statement Wednesday, said that Mabilog was found guilty of grave misconduct, serious dishonesty and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.
His dismissal came with the accessory penalties of perpetual disqualification from holding public office, cancellation of eligibility, forfeiture of retirement benefits, and bar from taking the civil service examinations.
To recall, the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) of Iloilo City on April 8, 2014 enacted the towing ordinance that incorporated the use of a towing clamp.
On February 17, 2015, Mabilog was authorized to enter into a Memorandum of Agreement on behalf of the city government with the 3L Towing Services for the implementation of the ordinance.
The MOA was confirmed one week after but three days later, the former mayor through an urgent letter informed the SP of its suspension due to some technical issues.
On May 19, 2015, Leny Garcia, proprietor of the 3L offered to withdraw from the MOA “amidst the legal issues confronting it and submit to legal processes prescribed by laws on government bidding and procurement.”
City Councilor Plaridel Nava II accused Mabilog of owning the 3L Towing Services. He said that Mabilog “instructed him to look for someone they could trust to stand as a dummy owner and to estimate the cost and expenditures for the proposed business venture on clamping services.”
He claimed that he reported regularly to Mabilog about the status of the business.
He said on June 16, 2014, he received from Mabilog PHP500,000 in cash as part of the latter’s contribution to the business.
The mayor also reportedly expedited the release of the business and mayor’s permits of the towing company.
Nava, despite being the complainant, was also ordered investigated. OMB Visayas was directed to conduct a fact-finding investigation against Nava for a possible administrative case.
In September last year, the Office of the Ombudsman found a probable cause to charge Mabilog and Nava II for one count of violation of Section 3(h) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (Republic Act No. 3019)” also for the towing deal before the Sandiganbayan.
On October 6, 2017, Overall Deputy Ombudsman Melchor Arthur Carandang also approved Mabilog’s dismissal order after finding him “guilty of serious dishonesty relative to his unlawful acquisition of wealth.”
It came with the cancellation of Mabilog’s civil service eligibility, forfeiture of retirement benefits, perpetual disqualification from holding public office and bar from taking civil service examinations.
The dismissal stemmed from an accusation over his alleged unexplained wealth, citing an increase of more than PHP8 million in his 2013 statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) compared with his assets in 2012.
The dismissal order also came with the cancellation of Mabilog’s civil service eligibility, forfeiture of retirement benefits, perpetual disqualification from holding public office and bar from taking civil service examinations. (PNA)
