Ombudsman orders preventive suspension of Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia

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In June 2024, the Cebu governor initiates the desilting of the Mananga River in an effort to supply more water to the Metropolitan Cebu Water District

CEBU, Philippines – Ombudsman Samuel Martires confirmed to Rappler on Tuesday, April 29, that a six-month preventive suspension order was issued against Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia over an alleged issuance of a quarry permit in a protected area in the province.

“Remember Chocolate Hills in Bohol? This case is worse! Doon sa Chocolate Hills, naglagay ng resort pero hindi ganun ka extensive ang damage… ito quarrying. It destroys everything, tapos sa protected area pa,” the ombudsman said.

(Remember Chocolate Hills in Bohol? This case is worse! At the Chocolate Hills, a resort was built there but the damage was not as extensive… this is quarrying. It destroys everything, and it was at a protected area.)

Garcia, in a statement posted on her official Facebook page, confirmed there was a preventive suspension order on Tuesday evening.

A preventive suspension is a measure used in administrative investigations to ensure that government offices are safeguarded from undue influence and other possible harms.

The order stemmed from a complaint filed by a certain Moises Garcia Deiparine who accused the governor of abuse of authority for issuing a special permit to a construction firm for the implementation of a desiltation project without an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) nor a Certificate of Non-Coverage (CNC) from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) or prior consultation with other concerned government agencies.

“I respect the processes of the law, but I must respectfully disagree with both the basis and the necessity of this action,” the governor said in her statement.

Garcia clarified that the issuance of the special permit was done “in urgency” to address the water shortage affecting the franchise areas of the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD).

The desilting project in question is the one at the Mananga River in Talisay City, which spans 15 kilometers and is part of the Central Cebu Protected Landscape, making it one of the three protected watersheds in Cebu.

In June 2024, the governor initiated the desilting of the river to improve its flow and to supply more water to MCWD. The Mananga River is a major water source of the MCWD.

“Only by desilting the Mananga River could the situation be immediately alleviated and the water crisis addressed,” Garcia said.

The governor said that her decision to issue the permit was done in coordination with DENR, the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), the concerned local government agencies, and the Cebu Provincial Board.

On May 20, 2024, the Cebu Provincial Board approved a resolution declaring a state of calamity in the entire province of Cebu due to the effects of the El Niño phenomenon which caused dams in Cebu to dry up.

On October 14, 2024, the provincial board passed a resolution to end the state of calamity due to the El Niño phenomenon.

“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,” Garcia said in her statement.

Garcia is running for reelection in the upcoming May polls. – Rappler.com