Sandigan orders arrest of Camarines Norte governor

MANILA, Philippines  — The Sandiganbayan has ordered the arrest of Camarines Norte Gov. Edgardo Tallado and two other provincial officials for a graft case which stemmed from their alleged failure to reinstate a provincial veterinarian whom they allegedly unlawfully dropped from the payroll.

 

In a minute resolution dated February 20, released to the media Sunday, the anti-graft court's Third Division said it found sufficient grounds to order the arrest of Tallado, provincial legal officer Sim Mata Jr. and supervising administrative officer Mario Dela Cruz.

 

“After a careful review of the records, the Court finds that probable cause exists in this case. Accordingly, let a warrant of arrest be issued against accused Edgardo A. Tallado, Sim O. Mata Jr. and Mario T. Dela Cruz,” the ruling read.

 

Tallado, Mata and Dela Cruz have yet to post bail as of Friday last week.

 

The Third Division also directed the Bureau of Immigration to bar them from leaving the country unless they secure a prior permission from the court.

 

“This Court, in the exercise of its inherent power to use all means necessary to carry its orders into effect... hereby orders the commissioner of the Bureau of Immigration to hold the departure from the Philippines of above-named accused and to include the name/s of said accused in the Hold Departure List of said bureau,” the Third Division said in a hold departure order (HDO) issued also on February 20.

 

The graft case against Tallado, Mata and Dela Cruz stemmed from the alleged unjustified transfer of provincial veterinarian Edgardo Gonzales to provincial information office in November 2012. The respondents also allegedly dropped Gonzales from the payroll.

 

Based on the charge sheet filed by the Office of the Ombudsman early this month, Tallado “obstinately refused” to reinstate Gonzales to his post in the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) despite an order from the Civil Service Commission (CSC) dated Aug. 12, 2013.

 

The ombudsman had earlier ordered Tallado's dismissal from service for administrative offenses in connection with his alleged refusal to reinstate several employees but the governor was able to secure an injunction from the Court of Appeals (CA).

 

Tallado became controversial after his wife Josie went missing for almost a week in October 2014. When she surfaced, Josie claimed that her life was in danger as she found out about her husband's extra-marital affair.

 

A few days later, Tallado's sex video and nude photos with his alleged mistress went viral on social media. This prompted the ombudsman to order Tallado's six-month suspension for “disgraceful and immoral conduct.”