By MAE SINGUAY
BACOLOD City – After serving a six-month suspension, Office of the Building Official (OBO) head Isidro Sun is expected to report for work on July 2.
Sun and suspended Inspector Jose Maria Makilan will return to OBO, confirmed City Legal Office (CLO) head Rayfrando Diaz II.
There is no certainty, however, that Sun will be reinstated to his position, according to Mayor Monico Puentevella.
While Sun was serving his suspension in January, Puentevella appointed then Assistant City Engineer Ephraim Hechanova as acting OBO head.
Puentevella said he is satisfied by Hechanova’s performance in the past five months.
In December last year, the Office of the Ombudsman Visayas ordered the immediate suspension without pay of Sun and Makilan.
The OBO officials were found guilty of violating Article 171 of the Revised Penal Code for allegedly falsifying the computation sheet for a building permit applicant, Mainstream Business, Inc.
OBO employees Sharon Gayanelo, Cary Memoria and Glenda Pajes filed the administrative case on Nov. 15, 2013.
They claimed that Sun and Makilan falsified the computation sheet needed for the company’s application. The “erroneous” document caused the city government P698,500 worth of damage, they said.
The Ombudsman issued the suspension order on Dec. 12, 2014, but the order reached Puentevella’s office on Dec. 15, 2014.
While the order was executory upon receipt, the city government served it only on Jan. 1.
CLO head Diaz advised Mayor Puentevella to defer the serving of the suspension order in the spirit of the Christmas season.
Councilor Carlos Jose Lopez criticized the delayed serving of the suspension order.
Lopez filed charges for violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, or Republic Act 3019, against Diaz and CLO officer Lorenzo Alimanaza before the Ombudsman.
The Ombudsman ordered Diaz and Aliminaza to file their counter-affidavits./PN