By Rodolfo Dacleson II
(August 22, 2024) – The Office of the Ombudsman on Thursday suspended Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes for one year without pay for grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.
The administrative case stemmed from Cortes’ alleged unlawful appointment of Camilo Basaca Jr. as officer-in-charge of the City Social Welfare and Services in July 2022. Sereno Gabayan Monsanto, Rosimay Cali Caling, and Annibel Dela Cerna Andebor filed the complaint.
Cortes and Basaca earlier denied the allegations. Their joint counter-affidavit stated that Basaca acquired his degree in Bachelor of Science in Office Administration and passed the Career Service Professional Examination in 2022. It added that he has done social work with KAABAG Mandaue since 2017.
The Ombudsman, however, ruled the designation of Basaca as against the civil service rules and regulations.
“Respondent Basaca’s course, which is Bachelor of Science in Office Administration, is not one of the courses that is related to a degree in sociology,” the decision read. “Meanwhile, a Bachelor of Science in Office Administration is a four-year degree program designed to provide students with knowledge and skills in business management and office processes.”
It furthered that Basaca failed to prove he had at least five years of experience in social work, describing the certifications issued by KAABAG Mandaue as “self-serving” since Cortes founded it himself.
“Assuming arguendo that respondent Basaca has met all the qualification requirements provided under Section 483 (a) of RA 7160, his designation as OIC-CSWS is still in violation of Section 13 (c) of Rule IV of the 2017 Omnibus Rules On Appointments And Other Human Resource Actions (ORAOHRA),” the Office of the Ombudsman added.
Last Wednesday, Cortes’ lawyers said that they would appeal the decision.
“We will exhaust all legal remedies for the reversal of the decision, including the filing of a motion of reconsideration,” said Atty. Jamaal James Calipayan, the Mandaue City administrator, in a media interview.
Cortes is the second Cebu City mayor after Michael Rama placed by the Ombudsman under suspension.
(With reports from John Aroa, News5)
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