TWO erring officials of the Department of Transportation and Railways (DOTr) in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) were formally relieved after being found guilty of administrative offenses and corruption charges.

Suspended DOTr-Cordillera regional director Jesus Eduardo Natividad and assistant regional director Datu Mohammad Abbas were dismissed based on a statement issued by the central office.

Natividad was found guilty of gross neglect of duty after he issued a certificate of public convenience (CPC) for a U-Hop application within the moratorium period.

Also, after careful evaluation of the statements and affidavits, the DOTr found Abbas guilty of administrative offense of grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service with the penalty of dismissal from the service.

However, Abbas refused to obey the order, saying only President Rodrigo Duterte can terminate him because he is a presidential appointee.

But on DOTR record, Abbas has no appointment papers from President Duterte and was appointed by the previous administration serving the DOTr-CAR on a hold-over and acting capacity, while a replacement has already been appointed.

Abbas was dismissed after several stakeholders in Baguio City and the Cordillera region alleged him of misconduct. Among the charges include accepting money to facilitate the issuance of CPC, extortion in exchange for the release of impounded vehicles, accepting commissions from medical and notarial fees relative to franchise applications, as well as conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service for brandishing and toting a gun against a certain clinic employee.

The dismissal order also comes with accessory penalties of cancellation of eligibility, forfeiture of retirement benefits, and perpetual disqualification for re-employment in the government services.

Robert Allan Santiago was formally installed as the DOTr-CAR OIC regional director.