TAGUM CITY—Five officials of Davao del Norte Electric Cooperative under the wing of Cooperative Development Authority (Daneco-CDA) were suspended for violating Republic Act No. 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.
Found guilty of the anti-ethical act were Abenir O. Labja, Dean C. Briz, Eugenio S. Ramonida, Miguel Fermil and Ramon L. Zafra who were said to be holding various positions in government.
In a 10-page decision issued by the Office of the Ombudsman-Mindanao in Davao City, it said they “failed to live up to the high standard of ethics and utmost responsibility to refrain from doing acts contrary to law, good morals, good customs, public policy, public order, public safety and public interest.”
It further said that “they forgot that they are bringing with them the image of their public office; and by defying lawful orders, they tainted the integrity of their public positions.”
But Gerald Osorio, OIC-General Manager of Daneco-CDA told DavaoToday on Tuesday that the Ombudsman decision is now “moot and academic” because all Board of Directors except one Abenir Labja resigned last June 2012.
Labja is the Assistant Provincial Assessor in Compostela Valley.
Osorio added that “we are not affected with the Ombudsman decision and we will remain steadfast in our commitment to standby with our principle for our member-consumers who are with us along the way. We are going to face this legal battle- fairly and squarely.”
The administrative complaint originated when they [formerly NEA Board of Directors] were dismissed on April 30,2012.
A case for certiorari with Prayer for Temporary Restraining Order and Preliminary Injunction was instituted and eventually granted by RTC-Branch 3 in Nabunturan, Compostella Valley.
Meanwhile, Atty. Jeorge Rapista, Legal Counsel of Daneco-NEA, in a text message to DavaoToday said:
“(T)heir group [Daneco-CDA] is openly deying and disrespecting lawful orders of the Court of Appeals, the RTC, the NEA and CDA.
“They still continue to exercise their functions as member of the Board even continuing with the conduct of referendum when they were ordered to hold the same in abeyance,” Rapista said. . (MART D. SAMBALUD/davaotoday.com)
