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Advocates Philippines
Ombudsman Charges Suspended Cebu Mayor, 12 Others
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The Office of the Ombudsman has filed graft charges against suspended Minglanilla, Cebu Mayor Rajiv Enad, Vice Mayor Elanito Peña, 10 members of the Sangguniang Bayan, and the town’s municipal administrator over the denial of a rehabilitation plan for a quarry site in Barangay Guindarohan.
The charges were filed before the Regional Trial Court in Naga City, Cebu for alleged violation of Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
Also named in the case are councilors Oscar Cañares Dela Calzada Jr., Samuel Gordsin Adlawan Jr., Jesus Denoyo Velez, Jeremias Llanos Cañares, Jaime Secretarya Caumeran, Jenifer Dejan Lariosa, Proserfina Laput Fajutrao, Jenny Zafra Young, Petronilo Entera Traya, and Rick Ryan Zafra.
Municipal Administrator Junrie Casquejo Bragat was likewise included in the indictment.
The case stemmed from the local government's repeated rejection of a Rehabilitation Plan submitted by Jomara Konstruct Corporation and Jomara Agri Foods and Supply Corporation.
The controversy began after reports of ground cracks above a quarry site in Sitio Napo, Barangay Guindarohan in December 2021. The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) conducted a geohazard assessment, which was later followed by a Cease-and-Desist Order (CDO) issued by the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB).
In response, the companies prepared a rehabilitation plan aimed at addressing the safety concerns raised by government regulators.
According to the Ombudsman, the plan had received support and technical recommendations from the MGB, EMB, and the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO).
However, the Municipality of Minglanilla allegedly continued to block its implementation.
The Sangguniang Bayan later passed resolutions denying both the rehabilitation plan and the companies' applications for a Special Waste Disposal Permit.
In its ruling, the Ombudsman found probable cause to believe the respondents acted with "evident bad faith, manifest partiality, or gross inexcusable negligence when they disapproved the complainants’ Rehabilitation Plan despite DENR’s partial lifting of the CDO for its implementation".
The anti-graft body also noted that recommendations from several government agencies were disregarded.
“Not only did the respondents reject the recommendations of the DENR, they also deliberately ignored the findings and recommendations of the PENRO, MGB and the Sangguniang Barangay of Guindarohan, Minglanilla, Cebu,” the ruling said.
The Ombudsman further found that the respondents allegedly gave an "unwarranted benefit, advantage or preference" to competitors when they ignored the EMB’s recommendation to proceed with the rehabilitation plan.
Investigators likewise pointed to what they described as coordinated actions among the respondents.
The Ombudsman said the respondents’ “concerted acts establish the existence of conspiracy” when the Sangguniang Bayan members “deliberately passed SB Resolution No. 271 series of 2022, denying the complainants’ Rehabilitation Plan and respondent Enad approved the same.”
Meanwhile, the complaint against the acting Sangguniang Bayan secretary was dismissed for lack of merit.
The filing of the charges comes months after Enad, Peña, and the 10 councilors were placed under a one-year preventive suspension by the Ombudsman in February this year while the case was being investigated.
The charges were filed before the Regional Trial Court in Naga City, Cebu for alleged violation of Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
Also named in the case are councilors Oscar Cañares Dela Calzada Jr., Samuel Gordsin Adlawan Jr., Jesus Denoyo Velez, Jeremias Llanos Cañares, Jaime Secretarya Caumeran, Jenifer Dejan Lariosa, Proserfina Laput Fajutrao, Jenny Zafra Young, Petronilo Entera Traya, and Rick Ryan Zafra.
Municipal Administrator Junrie Casquejo Bragat was likewise included in the indictment.
The case stemmed from the local government's repeated rejection of a Rehabilitation Plan submitted by Jomara Konstruct Corporation and Jomara Agri Foods and Supply Corporation.
The controversy began after reports of ground cracks above a quarry site in Sitio Napo, Barangay Guindarohan in December 2021. The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) conducted a geohazard assessment, which was later followed by a Cease-and-Desist Order (CDO) issued by the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB).
In response, the companies prepared a rehabilitation plan aimed at addressing the safety concerns raised by government regulators.
According to the Ombudsman, the plan had received support and technical recommendations from the MGB, EMB, and the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO).
However, the Municipality of Minglanilla allegedly continued to block its implementation.
The Sangguniang Bayan later passed resolutions denying both the rehabilitation plan and the companies' applications for a Special Waste Disposal Permit.
In its ruling, the Ombudsman found probable cause to believe the respondents acted with "evident bad faith, manifest partiality, or gross inexcusable negligence when they disapproved the complainants’ Rehabilitation Plan despite DENR’s partial lifting of the CDO for its implementation".
The anti-graft body also noted that recommendations from several government agencies were disregarded.
“Not only did the respondents reject the recommendations of the DENR, they also deliberately ignored the findings and recommendations of the PENRO, MGB and the Sangguniang Barangay of Guindarohan, Minglanilla, Cebu,” the ruling said.
The Ombudsman further found that the respondents allegedly gave an "unwarranted benefit, advantage or preference" to competitors when they ignored the EMB’s recommendation to proceed with the rehabilitation plan.
Investigators likewise pointed to what they described as coordinated actions among the respondents.
The Ombudsman said the respondents’ “concerted acts establish the existence of conspiracy” when the Sangguniang Bayan members “deliberately passed SB Resolution No. 271 series of 2022, denying the complainants’ Rehabilitation Plan and respondent Enad approved the same.”
Meanwhile, the complaint against the acting Sangguniang Bayan secretary was dismissed for lack of merit.
The filing of the charges comes months after Enad, Peña, and the 10 councilors were placed under a one-year preventive suspension by the Ombudsman in February this year while the case was being investigated.
Jun 22, 2026
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