Ben Madilynn
THE barangay captain of Umapad, Mandaue City is facing several administrative charges for appointing the sixth councilor as “officer-in-charge” (OIC) during his absence from office in April 2024.
Barangay Councilor Libertine Lumapas accused Barangay Captain Reb Cortes of grave misconduct, conduct unbecoming of a public official and usurpation of authority. The complaint was lodged before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas on July 18, 2024 yet.
SunStar Cebu obtained a copy of the four-page complaint on Tuesday, Sept. 10.
The City Council’s committee on good government, public ethics and accountability also tackled the complaints during its regular session on Tuesday, Sept. 10.
Lumapas, who is the first councilor, alleged that Cortes violated the Local Government Code by appointing a lower-ranking barangay official as OIC during his absence from April 4-9, when he went on leave and traveled to Japan along with several other barangay captains from Mandaue City.
Cortes, instead of appointing Lumapas as OIC, designated Councilor Josefina Entrampas as the OIC to handle his duties temporarily.
According to Lumapas, this appointment was in direct violation of Section 46(a) of Republic Act 7160, also known as the Local Government Code of the Philippines, which mandates that in the event a barangay captain is temporarily incapacitated, the highest-ranking barangay council member should automatically assume the position of OIC.
As the highest-ranking councilor in Barangay Umapad, Lumapas argued that she should have been designated as OIC, not Entrampas.
‘It’s politicking’
Sought for comment, Cortes, in a phone interview on Tuesday, said he has yet to receive a copy of
the complaint.
He added that he did not leave a certification appointing a councilor as OIC.
“I did not do that. The highest-ranking member automatically assumes the position,” Cortes told Sunstar Cebu.
“Basin pamolitika na sad ni. Kalingkuron na siguro siya. Gamay nga problema padak-on pa g’yud (This might be politically motivated; she probably wants the seat, making a big deal out of a small issue),” he said.
Claims
Lumapas claimed that Entrampas overstepped her authority by assuming the role of barangay captain during Cortes’ absence, including signing official documents, such as a barangay certification for a resident.
“The position of the respondent warrants their immediate preventive suspension considering the possibility of tampering of documents in their control and custody and of exerting influence over possible witnesses against them if they remain in their office,” Lumapas said in her complaint-affidavit.
After reviewing the complaint, the City Council’s committee on good government moved to refer the July complaint to the Ombudsman, noting that a related case involving the same parties, docketed as OMB-V-C-MAY-24-0089 and OMB-V-A-MAY-24-0106, is already being investigated by the Ombudsman.
The committee pointed out that the allegations raised in Lumapas’ complaint are closely linked to an ongoing investigation and recommended that the new case be referred to the Office of the Ombudsman for further action.
The committee stressed that this referral was necessary to ensure impartiality and avoid any potential accusations of political bias in handling the case locally.
According to their report, allowing the Office of the Ombudsman to take over the investigation would safeguard the integrity of the process and ensure that all parties involved receive fair treatment.
The complaint filed by Lumapas seeks not only administrative sanctions but also the immediate preventive suspension of both Cortes and Entrampas.
Supporting Lumapas’ claims, a resident submitted an affidavit confirming that the barangay certification she received on April 4 was signed by Entrampas as OIC instead of Lumapas.
This document, along with the certification fee receipt and documentary stamps, forms part of the evidence against Cortes and Entrampas.
The committee, in its recommendation, reiterated that referring the case to the Ombudsman would ensure the proper handling of the matter, given the complexity of the allegations and the potential for political entanglements. / CAV
