Ombuds files criminal, admin cases vs. Gica

CEBU, Philippines — The Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas has filed four counts of criminal and two administrative charges against Dumanjug Councilor Erwin Gica for not filing his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net worth (SALN).

Field Investigation Bureau Acting Director Alfred Vann Oguis said that the fact-finding investigation of the case had already been completed.

The handling investigator, as nominal complainant, filed criminal charges for two counts of violation of Section 7 of Republic Act No. 3019, also known as Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act; two counts of violation of Section 8 of R.A. No. 6713, also known as the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees; and administrative charges for grave misconduct and neglect of duty.

“The case will undergo administrative adjudication where SB (Sangguniang Bayan member) Gica, will be given the opportunity to be heard and present countervailing evidence pursuant to the rules of procedure adopted by the Office of the Ombudsman,” said Oguis.

“(Those are) baseless charges. When would you guys stop harassing my sons?” said lawyer Edgar Gica, the father and counsel of Erwin.

He is also appealing to the Garcias to stop filing cases against his sons who are just serving their town.

"They cannot even win the cases they filed against my sons. Leave us alone in peace and to the service of our people," lawyer Gica said.

A year ago, the anti-graft office earlier said that based on the records, Dumanjug Mayor Efren Guntrano Gica and his brother Councilor Gica have not filed their SALN for the past several years.

This, after former mayor Nelson Gamaliel Garcia requested the anti-graft office for copies of the Gicas’ SALN since 2013.

Efren was vice mayor from 2013 until 2016 while Erwin has served as councilor from 2013 up to the present.

On September 7, 2017, Sarah Jo Vergara, officer-in-charge of the Central Records Management Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas, certified Garcia’s request that “as per files of scanned SALNs, no available SALN on file, none found” for Mayor Gica for 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016.

For Councilor Gica, Vergara said “as per files of scanned SALNs, we only found 2013 SALN.”

This prompted Garcia to file four counts for violation of Section 7 of RA No. 3019 and four counts for violation of Section 8 of RA 6713 against Mayor Gica and three counts for violation of Section 7 of RA 3019 and three counts for violation of Section 8 of RA 6713 against Councilor Gica.

However, Mayor Gica said he has copies of all SALNs that he did not submit. (FREEMAN)