Angeles vice mayor, councilors ordered to answer graft complaint over job hires

The complaint stems from an audit report that found discrepancies in city council employee records, allegedly in violation of the anti-graft law and the Local Government Code

CLARK FREEPORT, Philippines – The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered 13 members of the Angeles City Council, including the vice mayor, to respond to a graft complaint involving alleged irregularities in the hiring of local government workers.

The complaint stemmed from a 2022 Commission on Audit report that found discrepancies in city hall employee records, allegedly in violation of provisions of the anti-graft and corrupt practices law and the Local Government Code.

The officials were accused in the complaint of malversation of public funds, neglect of duty, and other offenses related to public service misconduct.

The complaint was filed in October 2024 by United Pilipino Against Crime and Corruption representative Pyra Lucas against Vice Mayor Vicky Vega-Cabigting.

Included in the complaint were councilors JC Aguas, Marino Bañola, Cris Cortez, Danilo Lacson, Alfie Bonifacio, Edu Pamintuan, Jay Sangil, Arvin Suller, Raco del Rosario, former Liga ng mga Barangay president Jeremias Alejandrino, and youth development officer-in-charge Arnoah Mandani, a former Sangguniang Kabataan president.

Cabigting and six councilors – Aguas, Bañola, Cortez, del Rosario, Pamintuan, and Suller – are seeking reelection, while Bonifacio, who resigned in April 2024 and transferred his voter registration to San Fernando City, is running for a seat on the Pampanga provincial board.

Meanwhile, two others – Lacson and Sangil – have served three terms.

In her complaint, Lucas cited a 2022 Commission on Audit (COA) report on the hiring of 314 job order (JO) workers in the city council.

The workers were allegedly hired without an organizational structure, staffing plan, or written hiring policy. They were reportedly paid daily or hourly, and often employed for more than six months. Some were also assigned tasks typically handled by regular employees.

According to the complaint, interviews with JOs showed they performed a wide range of tasks, including clerical work, data encoding, filing, liaising, coordinating, assisting secretaries, attending meetings for councilors, conducting field research, managing social media, organizing events, editing videos, taking photographs, providing security, driving, and distributing medicine and financial aid.

They were also assigned to check transportation franchises and mayor’s permits, inspect garbage bins in barangays, plant trees, assist in feeding programs, clean offices, sweep streets, and handle on-call duties.

The complaint said payroll regularity could not be verified, as 171 of the JOs could not be located for validation. It also noted the absence of a bundy clock or biometric system to track attendance.

Lucas on Monday, March 17, said the lack of records from city hall’s human resources department raised concerns over the legitimacy of many of the JOs.

The Ombudsman issued two separate orders on February 27 which required the officials to submit their counter-affidavits within 10 days of receiving the order. The officials were also required to respond to a request for preventive suspension.

Vice Mayor Cabigting confirmed that they received the Ombudsman’s order on Monday. But she declined to comment on it, explaining that they still needed to consult with their lawyers. This report would be updated once the officials issue a statement. – Rappler.com