After being declared dismissed from office by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales earlier this week, Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo believes her actions are a response to him earlier voicing support for President Rodrigo Duterte’s proposal to investigate the Office of the Ombudsman.

The governor also pointed out, earlier this year, he filed complaints before the Department of Justice, accusing Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Paul Elmer Clemente and Deputy Ombudsman for the Military and Other Law Enforcement Offices Cyryl Ramos of graft.

Degamo also believes he is being unfairly targeted as he continues to be dealt charges despite the Condonation Legal Doctrine, or the Aguinaldo Doctrine, wherein reelection to office is considered an acceptance of an official’s actions, which elected officials often utilize.

The governor’s legal counsel, Atty. Richard Enojo, called it “personal harassment,” explaining the P10 million budget item marked for “intelligence expenses” was approved by the Provincial Development Council, but scrapped by the Negros Oriental Provincial Board.

He went on to explain, Degamo submitted a veto in response to their decision, which the board never took action to override.

The lawyer noted, a motion for reconsideration is already in the works, despite not yet receiving a copy of the dismissal order.

According to the Ombudsman, the P10 million allotment disbursed was “made in the absence of an approved appropriation.”

They claimed it was a violation of Section 305(a) of RA 7160, or the Local Government Code, which states, “No money shall be paid out of the local treasury except in pursuance of an appropriations ordinance or law.”

The Ombudsman also claimed there was a violation of Section 4(1) of Presidential Decree No. 1445, or the Government Auditing Code of the Philippines, which reiterates the said law.

“Degamo’s act of insisting for the release of the cash advance, despite the apparent absence of the necessary appropriation, is thus a clear badge of willful intent to violate the laws and established rules,” Morales affirmed.

The governor is currently serving a 90-day suspension over allegations regarding the suspected misuse of provincial calamity funds, which was handed down back in October.

The suspension stems from the alleged misuse of P480.7 million in calamity funds, provided by the national government for infrastructure projects in 2012, for which the governor was earlier indicted by Morales./PLL, WD