VALLADOLID vice mayor Romel Yogore and his three co-respondents who were dismissed by the Office of the Ombudsman Visayas for grave misconduct are seeking legal means to clear their names.
The dismissal order was served last Friday by the Department of Interior and Local Government to Yogore, Joseph Alfonso Manayon and Daisy Galve, members of the Bids and Awards Committee, and municipal accountant Cherryl Aguirre.
They filed their respective motions for reconsideration before the Office of the Ombudsman in Quezon City on February 27 and 28 before the release of the dismissal order by the Ombudsman Visayas on March 20.
Yogore also filed a petition for review before the Court of Appeals and a petition for status quo ante order before the Supreme Court.
The respondents maintained their innocence, with Yogore saying the complaint is politically-motivated.
The complaint stemmed from the repair of two units of mechanical grain dryers quoted at P698,000 by Franmar Agro Industrial Sales dated March 2, 2009 which the complainant and now the Ombudsman considered questionable.
Yogore said the people of Valladolid elected him in his three full terms as mayor, and in his first term as vice mayor which is a clear expression of the people's trust and confidence in him.
He added that he has full respect in the justice system and prays that they will be vindicated in the proper time.
“My role in this case was merely ministerial in nature as the documents underwent thorough review and auditing by Commission on Audit and other agencies authorized to do the checking and validation,” Yogore added.
Aguirre said the dismissal order lacks legal basis.