THE Office of the Ombudsman on Wednesday ordered the filing of criminal charges against a National Electrification Agency (NEA) official for allegedly receiving P1.5 million from the Cotabato Electric Cooperative Inc. (Cotelco) in May 2010.
Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, in a joint resolution, said that NEA Acting Department Manager for Legal Services Omar Mayo will face charges for alleged violation of Section 7(d) of Republic Act (RA) 6713, or Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.
Morales said her office found that Mayo solicited and accepted money from Cotelco, an entity under the regulatory and supervisory authority of NEA. The money was then deposited to Mayo’s personal bank account in Unionbank. It was also uncovered that Mayo also availed of cash advance from Cotelco amounting to P28,200.
In approving the indictment for violation of RA 6713, Morales gave no credence to Mayo’s allegation that the money represented the litigation costs he advanced to another counsel in connection with the case involving Cotelco’s franchise.
She said that the bare assertion “cannot prevail over the contents of the undisputed liquidation report, check voucher, deposit slip, audit report and the anonymous letter stating that Mayo had been paid by and accepted from Cotelco the amount of P1.5 million as litigation fee.”
Aside from the criminal indictment, Mayo was found administratively liable for grave misconduct and was meted out the penalty of dismissal from the service with the accessory penalties of cancellation of eligibility, forfeiture of retirement benefits and perpetual disqualification for reemployment in the government service, she said.
Meantime, the complaints against NEA Administrator Edita Bueno, Deputy Administrator for Legal Service John Joseph Magtulay, Deputy Administrator for Electric Distribution Utilities Service Edgardo Piamonte and Department Manager Veronica Cruz were dismissed for lack of merit.