Provincial Assessor suspended,faces raps

CEBU, Philippines —  Provincial Assessor Alma Sibonga has been suspended preventively for two months for building a three-story structure as extension of her house in Barangay Kalunasan, Cebu City allegedly without permits.

The preventive suspension came following an investigation by the Committee on Discipline and Investigation (CODI).

“Together with her husband, Engr. (Edgar) Sibonga, they admitted that when they constructed it… wala’y permit. Illegal structure jud siya (She and her husband admitted they constructed it without permit. It’s really an illegal structure),” said CODI head, Atty. Ritche Capahi.

Sibonga’s house sits on provincial land.

The couple reportedly said they were in the process of securing the permits while building the structure but Capahi said they should not have started construction at all until all papers have been secured. They do not also own the property.

But because construction began even without the complete papers, the work was still illegal, Capahi said.

“As far as she knows kuno, ang iyang bana, in the process and nag-secure, nya mahuman na man na hapit (As far as she knows, her husband was securing the permits but construction is almost over now),” Capahi said.

Construction began in 2011.

“Naghatag ta’g show cause order to explain ngano way administrative charge nga gi-file sa probinsya based sa katong ilang gi-constuct… nga building sa Kalunasan likod sa iyang balay (We issued a show cause order why no administrative charge was filed despite the construction at the back of their house),” Capahi said.

In 2015, the construction also became a subject of investigation. Then Governor Hilario Davide III ordered that the structure be demolished but this did not push through reportedly because Sibonga’s husband asked for consideration as he was already in the process of procuring the lot.

Sibonga is now facing charges for gross negligence, gross misconduct, acts detrimental to service, and dishonesty. —  JMO (FREEMAN)