THE Office of the Ombudsman has dismissed Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cabungal Cortes from service after finding him guilty of grave misconduct for allowing the continuous operation of a cement batching plant without the necessary business and environmental permits.
The Ombudsman’s ruling followed a complaint filed in October 2022 by residents Ines Corbo Necesario and Julita O. Narte, who claimed that Cortes failed to act on Suprea Phils. Development Corp.’s violations despite clear risks to public health and the environment.
Suprea’s plant, located in Sitio San Jose 1, Barangay Labogon, was operational from 2020 to 2022 without a business permit, sanitary permit, and environmental clearances, as required by law.
Residents living near the plant raised multiple concerns about the negative impact of its operations on their health and well-being. Despite these complaints, Cortes allegedly refused to issue a cease-and-desist order against the plant.
The Ombudsman found that the operation of the plant continued without the necessary permits, creating a public disturbance and health risks to the community.
Although Cortes eventually issued a Mission Order in March 2021 for the Mandaue City Environment and Natural Resources Office (MCenro) to inspect Suprea’s operations, the Ombudsman emphasized that this action came too late and only focused on environmental factors.
“The conduct of inspection, imposition of penalties, and implementation of mitigating and preventive measures are not sufficient to address the plight of the affected residents of Barangay Labogon,” the decision stated.
The Ombudsman’s decision also highlighted that while Suprea had been granted an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) in 2019, this certificate did not authorize the company to operate without securing additional permits.
The ECC specifically stated that Suprea needed to obtain permits from other government agencies before starting its operations.
The Ombudsman noted that Cortes failed to enforce these requirements and allowed the plant to operate illegally for an extended period. (CAV)