Quezon City treasurer sacked

MANILA, Philippines - The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the dismissal of the officer-in-charge of the Quezon City treasurer’s office for grave abuse of authority over what it said was an illegal property auction.

In a Dec. 29, 2015 decision released recently, Edgar Villanueva was also slapped with the accessory penalties of forfeiture of retirement benefits, cancellation of civil service eligibility, and perpetual disqualification from holding public office.

The case stemmed from complaints filed by the Manila Seedling Bank Foundation Inc. (MSBFI), which occupied a seven-hectare property of the National Housing Authority (NHA).

Villanueva auctioned the property for alleged tax delinquency in 2012 even if the NHA is exempted from paying real property tax.

He had addressed statements of tax delinquency to MSBFI instead of the NHA, the ombudsman said.

Villanueva eventually issued a warrant of levy and a notice of sold property that led to the questionable seizure of the lot, according to the ombudsman.

Mayor Herbert Bautista said he remains hopeful that Villanueva’s dismissal will not affect the city government’s claim on the disputed lot, which is at the intersection of EDSA and Quezon Avenue. – Michael Punongbayan, Romina Cabrera