CEBU Governor Gwendolyn Garcia has denounced the Office of the Ombudsman’s six-month preventive suspension as an expedited action.
This position was made public during a press conference on Saturday, May 3, 2025, where Garcia and her legal consultant, Atty. Rory Jon Sepulveda, confirmed they had just received the full complaint.
The Ombudsman imposed the preventive suspension concerning Garcia’s alleged issuance of a special permit for desilting activities in the Mananga River, a protected area in Talisay City, during the 2024 El Niño period.
The complaint, filed by Moises Garcia Deiparine, alleges abuse of authority in early 2024.
However, in the press conference held at the Cebu Provincial Capitol, Garcia and Sepulveda questioned the timeline of the implementation of the preventive suspension order.
Timeline
Sepulveda presented the complaint to the media, highlighting the rapid timeline: the complaint was filed on Monday, April 21; the suspension order was signed on Thursday, April 24; Garcia was served the order on April 28; and a “special team” of investigators was formed two days later.
Sepulveda questioned the single signature on the suspension order, suggesting unusual haste.
“As the Governor noted, we have noticed the inordinate interest of the person or official of the Ombudsman of this case,” said Sepulveda.
“The order only appears [in] one signature…Now it is clear that it is only by himself alone without any assistance or intervention of any other Ombudsman official.”
Garcia, who sent a clarificatory letter to the Department of the Interior and Local Government, pledged to take action.
She argues that the suspension violates the Omnibus Election Code, as it lacked Commission on Elections (Comelec) approval and due process.
“Is this a habit of the Ombudsman? Because I am now seeing statement after statement that are quite incomplete in facts,” said Garcia, claiming Martires was “grossly misinformed.”
“A suspension order just 12 days before an election…We know very well what impact it can have on the electorate, and we cannot reach everyone. Explain to each and everyone what this is. But when the president speaks, everyone listens,” said Garcia.
Garcia has pledged to contest the suspension, setting the stage for a legal battle that could significantly impact the upcoming elections.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. expressed support for the rule of law and fairness, which Garcia acknowledged.
In a press conference, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro maintained that Marcos only wanted to uphold the rule of law, but will not intervene on matters related to the governor’s preventive suspension.
“Ang pananaw po ng Pangulo ay laging kung ano ang dapat sa batas, hindi po natin gagamitin iyong excuse ng pamumulitika. Maaari siguro na may mga issues patungkol sa pamumulitika, but still ang Pangulo, ang gusto lamang po niya ay masunod kung ano ang sinasabi ng batas (The President’s stance is always based on what the law requires; we will not use politics as an excuse. There may be issues related to politics, but still, the President only wants to ensure that what the law dictates is followed),” she added.
The President, in a statement issued earlier, said any action that affects the mandate of a duly elected official must go through the proper channels and in accordance with the Constitution and the Omnibus Election Code, especially as the preventive suspension order was issued within the election period.
Under Philippine law, a preventive suspension is a precautionary measure to protect the integrity of the investigation or operations. It is intended to prevent the official from using their position to obstruct the investigation.