Top police official assails dismissal from service by Ombudsman

TACLOBAN CITY—The police director for Eastern Visayas has cried foul over his dismissal from service, along with 17 others, by the Ombudsman in connection with the alleged irregular procurement of rubber boats.

Chief Supt. Asher Dolina, who assumed his post in Jan- uary, chided the “biased and unfounded” decision of the antigraft body, which, he added, “violated our right to due process and right to speedy disposition of cases.”

He appealed to the Ombudsman to “take a second look” on their case, saying it did not give them the chance to rebut the allegations.

Dolina was among 18 police officials who were disqualified from government service due to alleged irregularities in the procurement of 16 rubber boats worth P4.9 million in 2009. At that time, he was the chair of the bids and award committee of the Philippine National Police Maritime Group.

Not capable

According to the Ombudsman, the boats were defective but still “accepted as conforming to (user’s) specifications.” It also noted that the supplier, Four Petals, was not “technical- ly, legally and financially capable supplier.”

“If we were given the chance to answer these allegations against us, we can prove that there was bidding that occurred as evidenced by the video coverage that was taken during the bidding,” he said.

“For more than three years … the Ombudsman sat on this case only to tell us that we sinned…” he added in Filipino.

Last week, Dolina filed a 15-day leave of absence with Chief Supt. Cedrick Train, deputy regional director for administration, taking over his post in an acting capacity.