THE Cebu City Human Resource and Development Office has not yet received the official dismissal order from the Office of the Ombudsman against eight City Hall officials, including a former official, involved in the P239.7 million garbage anomaly.
Its implementation has been delayed, according to HRDO head Henry Tomalabcab on Tuesday, August 5, 2025.
Tomalabcab said the City Government has not officially received the Ombudsman's resolution, despite the affected officials receiving personal copies at their residences a week before the press release.
In a previous similar dismissal order, the HRDO would first receive the formal notice before the respondents.
It technically prevents the City from formally enforcing the dismissals and appointing new officials, Tomalabcab added.
Under the Local Government Code, the assistant department head will automatically assume the position, unless the local chief executive appoints an interim official.
The Office of the Mayor has instructed a legal representative to make a formal query to the Ombudsman Visayas to resolve the issue.
Concerns on the signing of crucial documents have emerged as an additional complication in the dismissal of several Cebu City officials.
These officials, including City Accountant Jerome Ornopia, City Treasurer Mare Vae "Ivy" Reyes, and Department of Public Services (DPS) head Atty. John Jigo Dacua, were found administratively liable for gross neglect of duty and other misconduct in connection with the garbage anomaly.
Other dismissed officials and employees were Cebu Environmental Sanitation and Enforcement Team (Ceset) head Grace Luardo-Silva, DPS inspection officer Allen Omlero Ceballos, city treasurer’s office inspector Romelito Asinjo Datan, and general services office inspector Mark Abarquez Ugbinar.
The Ombudsman’s decision, dated March 14, 2025, was only made public through a press release by the National Bureau of Investigation-Central Visayas Regional Office (NBI-Cevro) last July 25.
The Ombudsman's order also carries accessory penalties, such as perpetual disqualification from holding public office.
On August 4, Mayor Nestor Archival said that he has prepared interim officials who will fill-in the vacuum in the position, as the dismissed officials will leave their posts once they receive the official notice.
Archival said among the offices that needs to be prioritized are the City Treasurer’s Office, where he will appoint former city treasurer Emma Villarete as officer-in-charge.
He stressed the necessity to fill-in the void in the City Treasurer’s Office, as it handles the financial aspect of all City Hall’s operations such as releasing of funds for all transactions and salaries.
“Ako ika-assure nga dili ni ma-hamper because we have already prepared sa mga angay buhatonon. Og maabot na ang order kay atu na dayun ipatuman,” Archival said.
(I can assure you that this will not be hampered because we have already prepared what needs to be done. Once the order arrives, we will implement it immediately.)
The NBI-Cevro, according to the Ombudsman resolution, uncovered a P239-million overpriced garbage disposal fee payment anomaly in Cebu City’s garbage collection, alleging that the contractor, Docast/JJ&J, overbilled the City by falsifying records and charging for deliveries made by city-owned trucks.
The contractor billed the City P1,800 per ton, while ARN, the dumpsite operator, charged P600 per ton even to barangay and city-owned trucks, leading to a substantial financial loss of P239,728,280.62 for Cebu City. (EHP)