đź“· Special Prosecutor Edilberto Sandoval | PhilStar
LOCAL chief executives are not mandated to issue permits for mining and quarry operations without an environmental compliance certificate coming from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, says the Office of the Ombudsman as it suspended Nueva Ecija Gov. Aurelio Umali.
According to Special Prosecutor Edilberto Sandoval in a five-page order dated May 10, Umali’s suspension was necessary amid “strong evidence showing his guilt” for gross misconduct and gross neglect of duty “which may warrant his removal from the service.”
Relatedly, the Ombudsman ruling ordered Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos to implement the suspension order which has been labeled as “immediately executory” if only to preserve documents and evidence in the investigation.
The Ombudsman has yet to rule on Umali’s wife – former governor Czarina Umali, and Provincial Environment and Natural Resources officer Wilfredo Pangilinan who are both facing administrative complaints for “grave misconduct, gross neglect of duty and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service” under the Civil Service Law.
Based on records, a certain Roberto Duldulao accused the Umalis and Pangilinan of conspiracy to issue 205 quarry permits for extraction of sand and gravel to unqualified individuals even in the absence of an ECC coming from the DENR.
Duldulao further alleged that Umali helped the quarry applicants to secure local environment clearance certificates (LECCs).
As stipulated in its decision, the Ombudsman also cited a House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability report which aptly described the acceptance of LECCs “as clear circumvention of the law” in reference to Republic Act 7942 otherwise known as the Philippine Mining Act.
“On the other hand, provincial environment and natural resources officer (PENRO) Wilfredo Pangilinan conspired with and joined spouses Umali in the commission of the unlawful act by his continued observance and issuance of recommendation for the approval of quarry permits with the use only of the LECC,” the Ombudsman resolution stated.
The Umalis were also found to be remiss in their duty to remit to local government units hosting the quarry operations the excise taxes the province collected from the quarry permit holders.
“Further, after the provincial government of Nueva Ecija collected taxes on the extracted sand and gravel, the shares of said taxes of the local government units concerned were not released,” the ruling read.
The incumbent governor is in his second term as governor of Nueva Ecija. He was elected in 2019, replacing his wife, Czarina, who served a single term as governor starting 2016. (ANGEL F. JOSE)
