Osmeña sues Dino over Ermita crisis

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña yesterday filed an administrative complaint against Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Dino before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas.

Osmeña accused Dino of conduct unbecoming a government employee, of doing acts prejudicial to the government service, abuse of position, gross misconduct, usurpation of authority, engaging in partisan politics, and obstruction of justice.

This was after Dino allegedly “meddled” in the appointment of the caretaker of Ermita, Cebu City whose officials, including Barangay Captain Felicisimo “Imok” Rupinta, were preventively suspended for six months.

But Dino’s camp, however, said the case is an attack on “the integrity of the Office of the President.”

In his 11-page complaint, the mayor said Dino reportedly asked Rupinta for recommendations as to who would sit as acting village chief.

“I can think that respondent wants the cohort/s of Kap Rupinta to temporarily take his (Rupinta’s) post because he wants to conceal the evidence and to lead astray the investigation of PDEA-7 in Ermita, in all favor the latter. It is clear case of ‘protecting the protector’,” read the complaint.

To recall, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-7 filed a case for misconduct, neglect of duty, conduct prejudicial to the best interest of service, and violation of the Revised Penal Code before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas against Rupinta and other seven officials for allegedly failing to cooperate in a November 6, 2016 drug raid.

“If proven true, this act of meddling by the respondent on the issue caused the inter-lapping and confusion of powers between the DILG, the city mayor, the Office of the Barangay Captain, and the Office of the President. It also impeded, interfered and disturbed…the functions of the City Mayor to supervise the barangay; with the DILG to recommend on LGU matters; with the Honorable Ombudsman on its investigatory functions; and with the PDEA-7 on its investigation,” read the complaint.

Osmeña has endorsed SPO1 Adonis Dumpit, former city councilor Augustus Pe Jr., and Tejero Barangay Captain Jessielou Cadungog to the Department of  the Interior and Local Government as caretakers of Ermita during the six months that Rupinta and the others are not around.

“Pending investigation, it most respectfully prayed that the respondent MICHAEL LLOYED DINO, Presidential Assistant for the Visayas, be preventively suspended considering that the evidence of guilt is strong as shown above, the charges against him involve grave misconduct,” read the complaint, a copy of which has been sent to the Office of the President.

Meanwhile, in a separate interview, Jonji Gonzales, Dino’s chief of staff and OPAV spokesperson, said the complaint was “frivolous” and an affront to the Office of the President and the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas.

 He said Dino is a presidential assistant whose office is adjunct to the Office of the President.

 “The action of Osmeña is tantamount to an attack (on) the integrity of the Office of the President. Dino is giving the president advice and he is also being consulted to with regards the affairs of the Visayas,” Gonzales said.

He said Dino has already denied recommending someone as Rupinta’s temporary replacement.

“OPAV will investigate what really is the motive of Osmeña in dragging PA Dino’s name to the issue on Barangay Ermita,” Gonzales said.

Rupinta, in an earlier report by The FREEMAN, also denied that Dino sought for his recommendation on his replacement, claiming he and Dino do not know each other. In the same report, Rupinta said he does not even know where to send his recommendation.

"If Osmeña is just creating a scenario, we will surely find it out,” Gonzales said.

"Dino has never meddled in the affairs in barangay Ermita. His one and only position on Ermita is to allow DILG to do its job. And by upholding the rule of law by letting DILG to do what is right is not obstruction of justice,” he added.

He also said Osmeña filing a case against Dino is the mayor’s “lone whim” as it has no authority from the City Council.

He quoted Dino as saying that "once the case is dismissed I will file a case against the chief executive of Cebu City.”

 "We believe the case is very flimsy and weak,” Gonzales said, adding that the Ombudsman would likely dismiss it for “lack of merit". (FREEMAN)