Ombudsman suspends vice mayor of Basilan

THE Office of the Ombudsman has suspended Basilan Vice Mayor Roderick Furigay for six months after he was found guilty of grave misconduct for awarding anomalous contracts in connection with the local government’s Geographical Protection and Awareness Program.

According to the Ombudsman’s order released on Thursday, Bids and Awards Committee Chairman Florence Herrera; BAC members Ignacio Enriquez, Olivia Ablao and Raquel Hibionada; and acting City Accountant Nilo Sotto paid P548,256 to HHH Developer and Real Estate Inc. (HDRI) for the supply of construction materials for its Kulay-Bato Boat Landing Project.

The amount of P175,000 was also paid to Furigay

The Ombudsman investigation showed that Furigay is closely related to the owners and incorporators of HDRI and FCI.

of disclosure of their relationship.

The Commission on Audit then disallowed the payments in June 2012 and ordered the immediate refund of P723,256 to the local government.

the contracts and the ensuing disbursements, Sotto - pleteness of the supporting documents, and Herrera, Enriquez, Ablao and Hibionada as the BAC members, who recommended the award, are liable for misconduct,” the Ombudsman’s decision read.

“Respondent Furigay’s act of permitting the business transaction of his close relatives lacked the necessary mention that the supporting procurement documents are highly questionable, give away a contrary disposition on his part, and his tendency to succumb to

Hibionada and Sotto for a month for simple misconduct.