Ombudsman Samuel Martires Nag-utos ng Preventive Suspension kay Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia
Inanunsyo ni Ombudsman Samuel Martires sa Rappler noong Martes, Abril 29, ang paglabas ng anim-na-buwang preventive suspension order laban kay Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia kaugnay ng umano’y pag-isyu ng quarry permit sa isang protektadong lugar sa lalawigan.
“Tandaan n’yo ang Chocolate Hills sa Bohol? Mas malala ito! Doon sa Chocolate Hills, naglagay ng resort pero hindi ganun ka-extensive ang damage… ito quarrying. It destroys everything, tapos sa protected area pa,” ayon kay Ombudsman Martires.
Sa parehong gabi, kinumpirma ni Garcia ang preventive suspension order sa pamamagitan ng isang pahayag na inilathala sa kanyang opisyal na Facebook page.
Ano ang Preventive Suspension?
Ang preventive suspension ay isang hakbang sa ilalim ng mga administratibong imbestigasyon upang matiyak na ang mga tanggapan ng gobyerno ay protektado laban sa hindi tamang impluwensiya at iba pang posibleng panganib habang isinasagawa ang imbestigasyon.
Sanhi ng Suspension
Ang kautusan ay nag-ugat sa reklamo ni Moises Garcia Deiparine, na nagsampa ng kaso laban kay Governor Garcia dahil sa umano’y pang-aabuso sa kapangyarihan. Ayon kay Deiparine, naglabas ng espesyal na permit ang gobernador sa isang construction firm para sa pagpapatupad ng isang desiltation project nang walang Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) o Certificate of Non-Coverage (CNC) mula sa Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). Hindi rin umano nagkaroon ng konsultasyon sa ibang ahensya ng gobyerno bago ito isinagawa.
Pahayag ni Governor Gwen Garcia
Sa kanyang pahayag, sinabi ni Garcia, “I respect the processes of the law, but I must respectfully disagree with both the basis and the necessity of this action.”
Nilinaw niya na ang pag-isyu ng espesyal na permit ay ginawa “sa kagyat na pangangailangan” upang matugunan ang kakulangan ng tubig na nakakaapekto sa mga franchise areas ng Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD).
𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐆𝐎𝐕. 𝐆𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐎𝐋𝐘𝐍 𝐆𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐈𝐀 𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐒𝐔𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐄𝐑
The Office of the Ombudsman has placed me under preventive suspension.
I respect the processes of the law, but I must respectfully disagree with both the basis and the necessity of this action.
The issuance of the Special Permit in question was driven solely by the urgent need to address the critical water shortage that had severely affected the entire franchise area of the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD), which includes Cebu City and seven other local government units.
All decisions were undertaken in close collaboration with the affected local government units, as well as with the government agencies tasked to regulate environmental matters — namely, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB). It must also be emphasized that this course of action was carried out with the proper approval of the Provincial Board, which had earlier declared the entire Province of Cebu under a state of calamity due to the acute water shortage.
Only by desilting the Mananga River could the situation be immediately alleviated and the water crisis addressed.
There was no personal interest or malice involved — only a deep sense of responsibility to act swiftly in the face of the growing burden and suffering of the Cebuanos due to the dwindling water supply, not to mention the potential health hazards caused by the unavailability of clean water.
It bears stressing that we were never given notice of this complaint, and thus were deprived of the opportunity to respond to Mr. Moises Garcia Deiparine’s baseless and malicious accusations.
It is important to note that the complainant is a known political figure affiliated with partisan groups. We will allow the facts — not political motivations — to speak for themselves.
My legal team is already taking the necessary steps to challenge this preventive suspension through the proper legal channels. I have full faith that truth and justice will prevail.
To the people of Cebu: please be assured that my commitment to serve you remains steadfast. No political maneuvering, no malicious attacks, and no unjust actions will ever deter me from fulfilling my sworn duty.
In these times, let us stand together — guided by truth, united by purpose, and driven by our unwavering love for a strong and united Cebu.
And to clarify a few key facts:
1. The complainant, Moises Garcia Deiparine, is the founder of the Duterte Riders Team and is openly affiliated with partisan political groups.
2. The suspension order was issued by Ombudsman Samuel Martires, a known Duterte appointee, and was released with barely two weeks before the elections.
3. The suspension is illegal, as it violates Section 261(x) of the Omnibus Election Code, which explicitly states that:
“Any public official who suspends any elective provincial, city, municipal or barangay officer without prior approval of the Commission shall be guilty of an election offense.”
This applies during the official election period, which for the May 2025 elections runs from January 12 to June 11, 2025 (COMELEC Resolution No. 10902).
No COMELEC approval was secured prior to the issuance of this suspension.
4. The Special Permit in question was issued only out of necessity — to address a critical water shortage affecting Cebu City and 7 other LGUs. This was done in full coordination with DENR, EMB, the affected LGUs, and with Sanggunian approval after the province was declared under a state of calamity. ##
Ang Proyekto ng Desiltation
Ang nasabing proyekto ay isinagawa sa Mananga River sa Talisay City, na may haba na 15 kilometro. Ang ilog na ito ay bahagi ng Central Cebu Protected Landscape, isa sa tatlong protektadong watershed sa Cebu.
Noong Hunyo 2024, sinimulan ng gobernador ang desiltation ng ilog upang mapabuti ang daloy nito at masuplayan ng mas maraming tubig ang MCWD. “Only by desilting the Mananga River could the situation be immediately alleviated and the water crisis addressed,” aniya.
Idinagdag pa niya na ang desisyon na magbigay ng permit ay ginawa kasabay ng konsultasyon sa DENR, Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), mga lokal na pamahalaan, at Cebu Provincial Board.
Ang Epekto ng El Niño sa Cebu
Noong Mayo 20, 2024, nagdeklara ang Cebu Provincial Board ng state of calamity sa buong lalawigan dahil sa epekto ng El Niño phenomenon, na nagdulot ng pagkaubos ng tubig sa mga dam ng Cebu. Noong Oktubre 14, 2024, ipinasya ng provincial board na wakasan ang state of calamity.
Mga Hakbang sa Legal
Ayon kay Garcia, ang kanyang legal team ay gumagawa na ng mga kinakailangang hakbang upang kuwestyunin ang preventive suspension sa tamang mga legal na ahensya. “I have full faith that truth and justice will prevail,” aniya.
Pulitika at Pagtakbo sa Halalan
Samantala, tumatakbo si Garcia para sa reelection sa nalalapit na halalan sa Mayo. Habang naka-suspinde, patuloy niyang ipinahayag ang kumpiyansa na mananaig ang katotohanan at hustisya sa isyu.
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