DILG tells Gica to vacate office

CEBU, Philippines — The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has ordered Dumanjug Mayor Efren Guntrano Gica to vacate his office following his dismissal from service and perpetual disqualification to hold public office.

DILG-7 Director Rene Burdeos has issued a memorandum dated December 20 implementing the Ombudsman Decision dated July 27 finding Gica guilty of serious dishonesty and grave misconduct for tampering with a restaurant receipt to bloat the amount therein.

“In this regard, you are hereby directed to comply with this Order of Dismissal by vacating your office, clear yourself of monies and properties in your charge and cease the performance of power and functions appurtenant thereto, immediately upon receipt,” reads Burdeos’ memorandum.

Burdeos also directed DILG-Cebu Provincial Director Jerome Gonzales to serve to Gica the original copy of the Ombudsman decision.

As of yesterday, The Freeman learned that the order was not yet served.

Gonzales said he has been coordinating with Gica who, incidentally, is also serving a suspension for another case in which he was accused of leading a raid in an operation without a search warrant together with his brother, Councilor Erwin Gica.

Burdeos issued separate memoranda each to acting Mayor Rainero Asentista and acting Vice Mayor Cesar Baricuatro to, by operation of law, immediately assume the Office of the Mayor and the Office of the Vice Mayor, respectively, and perform all of its functions, duties and responsibilities.

Gica cannot be reached for comment but his father, lawyer Edgar Gica, said earlier they will file a petition to have the Ombudsman ruling reviewed. He hopes to get a temporary restraining order to stay the implementation of the enforcement.

The case against Gica was filed by former Dumanjug mayor Nelson Gamaliel Garcia, Gica’s political rival, who accused Gica of tampering with a restaurant receipt amounting to P11,435 to bloat the amount to P21,435 in 2014.

The receipt was for the payment of meals for barangay officials who attended the seminar of the Association of Local Budget Officers (ALBO).

Gica was vice mayor at that time.

Garcia said Gica made a cash advance of P50,000 for the meal budget and the liquidation report the latter submitted to the Municipal Accountant Office (MAO) indicated that P21,435 was spent for the meal at Ding Qua Qua Dimsum during the seminar.

However, a certified true copy of the original duplicate of the receipt that Garcia obtained showed only P11,435 was actually spent.

Garcia said Gica made it appear that the dinner was for 100 people when it was only for 39.

On October 18, 2016, the Office of the Ombudsman in the Visayas dismissed Gica from service but a few months later on February 23, vacated its decision and restored Gica to his status after realizing it issued the resolution and decision without considering Gica’s defense.

Still, on July 27, Graft Investigator Portia Pacquiao ordered Gica ruled against Gica.

“Respondent’s acts in obtaining public funds in the amount of P10,000 for his personal use and falsifying his liquidation report and supporting documents to conceal the misappropriation clearly constitute grave misconduct,” reads Pacquiao’s 15-page decision, which Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales approved.

Apart from the dismissal, the Ombudsman also indicted Gica for malversation of public funds, three counts of falsification of official documents and for violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.  (FREEMAN)