THE Office of the Ombudsman dismissed several incumbent officials from various local government units in Bohol and regional agencies in Central Visayas over the controversial resort built in the protected Chocolate Hills landscape.
In a decision dated March 12, 2025, the Ombudsman dismissed 18 officials from public service, suspended 16 and reprimanded 10, including Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado, over Captain's Peak Garden and Resort.
The resort drew public criticism after a video posted online by a Davao-based vlogger on Wednesday, March 12, 2024, showed it surrounded by the hills. The video led to a Senate investigation and the suspension of several local officials in May 2024.
In a separate decision, the Ombudsman found probable cause to indict 96 officials for violating Section 3(e) and (j) of Republic Act (RA) 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
The administrative complaint, filed by the Field Investigation Office of the Office of the Ombudsman, alleged that these officials committed grave misconduct, gross neglect of duty and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.
The resort is in Canmano, Sagbayan town, Bohol, within the Chocolate Hills National Monument, a declared protected area and a Unesco World Heritage Site.
The administrative complaint resulted in several sanctions:
Dismissal from service for grave misconduct:
Restituto Suarez III (mayor of Sagbayan)
Maximo Lomosbog (zoning administrator of Sagbayanl)
Alan Dinoy (municipal building official of Sagbayan)
This penalty includes the cancellation of eligibility, forfeiture of retirement benefits and perpetual disqualification from public employment.
Dismissal from service for gross neglect of duty:
2018-2022 Protected Area Management Board’s technical working group/inspection team and Department of Environment and Natural Resources 7 officials:
Jose Douglas Berenguel
Ceferino Tajo
Betsy Jumamoy
Lito Bonajos
Maria Fe Jala
Rogaciana Caduyac
Adelo Mangaya-ay
Tito Ancog
Paulino Amodia
Laurentino A. Bautista (officer-in-charge, 2018 Community Environment and Natural Resources Office/protected area superintendent)
Lorna Fernandez (PAMB secretariat/assistant protected area superintendent, 2022 assistant protected area superintendent)
Ariel N. Rica (PENRO, 2022 protected area superintendent)
Paquito Melicor, Jr. (PAMB chairman and regional executive of DENR)
Gilbert Gonzales (PAMB Chairman and regional executive director of DENR)
These individuals also face dismissal, forfeiture of retirement benefits and perpetual disqualification from public employment.
Two-month suspension for simple misconduct:
Several barangay captains who were PAMB members present in both the 2018 and 2022 meetings:
Querino Aparicio (La Victoria, Carmen)
Crisanta Añosa (Calatrava, Carmen)
Ceferino Tajo (La Paz, Carmen)
Cecilia Tesio (Nueva Vida Norte, Carmen)
Gregorio Digamon (Nueva Vida Sur, Carmen)
Nelito Gallogo (Montevedio, Carmen)
Teresita Pahamutang (Libertad Sur, Sagbayan)
Rebecca Castro (Sta. Catalina, Sagbayan)
Eulogio Aparri (Canmaya Centro, Sagbayan)
Betsy Jumamoy (Santa Cruz, Sagbayan)
Fernando Tocmo (Calangahan, Sagbayan)
Erlinda Nacua (Katipunan, Sagbayan)
Teresita Cañete (Dagnawan, Sagbayan)
Paula Cabarse (Mantalongon, Sagbayan)
Lito Bonajos (San Vicenter Sur, Sagbayan)
Erwin Capa (Kagawasan, Sagbayan)
Rufino Sarong (Poblacion Sur, Batuan)
James Diolan (Behind the Clouds, Batuan)
Rogaciana Caduyac (Quezon, Batuan)
Ian Bernadez (Santa Cruz, Batuan)
Tito Ancog (Bugang Norte, Bilar)
Timoteo Quimpan (Bugang Sur, Bilar)
The suspension can be converted to a fine equivalent to one year's salary, payable to the Office of the Ombudsman.
Reprimand with a stern warning:
The 2018-2022 executive committee members of Chocolate Hills Natural Monument (CHNM)-PAMB who were absent from the meetings:
Erico Aristotle Aumentado (governor, Bohol)
Atty. Antonino Jumawid (mayor, municipality of Batuan)
Elizabeth Pace (mayor, municipality of Catigbian)
Virgilio Lurot (mayor, municipality of Catigbian)
Allen Ray Piezas (mayor, municipality of Clarin)
Eugeniano E. Ibarra (mayor, municipality of Clarin)
Norman Palacio (mayor, municipality of Bilar)
Simplicio C. Maestrado Jr. (mayor, municipality of Sierra Bullones)
Michael Doria (mayor, municipality of Sierra Bullones)
Dionisio Neil Balite (mayor, municipality of Valencia)
Ranulfo Q. Maligmat (mayor, municipality of Bilar)
Joel A. Elumba (director, Department of Agriculture 7)
They were warned that a similar act in the future will be dealt with more severely.
The administrative charges of grave misconduct and gross neglect of duty were dismissed for some respondents. The charge of conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service was dismissed for all respondents not found guilty of other offenses.
The administrative complaints against Representatives Edgar Chatto, Maria Vanessa Aumentado and Kristing Alexie Tutor have been referred to the House committee on ethics and privileges.
Most of these officials were indicted by the Ombudsman for alleged violation of RA 3019.
In a statement on Friday, Aug. 15, 2025, Governor Aumentado said he is innocent, pointing to his initial actions when the issue surfaced in 2023.
"I am firm in my stand that I did not violate any law in this case," Aumentado said in Cebuano. "We should remember that when the Captain Peak issue came out in 2023, I immediately ordered an investigation."
The governor announced that they are preparing a motion for reconsideration to file with the Ombudsman.
"I hope that the Ombudsman will re-examine the resolution and that I, along with the others not involved in the case, will be cleared of any wrongdoing," Aumentado said.
Complaint
The complaint cited irregularities in the resort's construction and operation. The owners failed to secure an environmental compliance certificate (ECC) and a special use agreement in protected areas from the Environmental Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
Despite lacking these requirements, the local government of Sagbayan issued various permits. The complaint alleges that unrestricted developments led to the defacement of the Chocolate Hills National Monument, violating the National Integrated Protected Areas System Act and its expanded version.
The PAMB of Bohol issued Resolution 1, series of 2018, recommending the construction of the resort. Later, the CHNM-PAMB Committee issued Resolution 21, series of 2022, approving the resort's relocation and expansion.
According to the Ombudsman, the resort received mayor's permits, building permits and locational clearances for 2020-2024 from Sagbayan municipal officials, namely Suarez, Lomosbog and Dinoy.
The Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer issued a notice of violation in September 2023. A notice of illegal construction was issued on March 20, 2024, leading to the resort's temporary closure.
Various respondents submitted counter-affidavits denying the charges. They argued a lack of participation, ex-officio membership or that their terms in office did not align with the alleged violations.
Aumentado denied involvement, explaining that permits were issued before he assumed office.
Suarez, for his part, claimed that the ECC is not a requirement for a business permit, while Lomosbog explained that the locational clearance was issued in good faith. Dinoy gave the same reason for issuing the building permit.
However, the Ombudsman found the CHNM-PAMB Executive Committee of 2018-2022 and Sagbayan Municipal Government accountable for failing to enforce environmental laws and for their "hasty approval" of the resolutions, which constituted Grave Misconduct. (EHP)