By: Dick cano
“ I was dismayed and humiliated and want to seek justice over the reports made by some irresponsible
media”, said dismissed Balabagan Mayor Dr. Edna Ogka Benito.
Mayor Benito’s
reactions made after she reads the
report that Ombudsman has cancelled her eligibility, forfeiture of her retirement
benefits and perpetual disqualification
from holding office.
She said after reading the report, “ I was able to talk to
ABS-CBN’s Carolyn Bonquin who writes the
report and said she gets the details from the Ombudsman, but Benito said there
were no statements of such in the Ombudsman’s order however , the order stated only “accessories
penalties” without specifying.
She said she might sue who are behind this character
assassination for such baseless and irresponsible reports that brought mental
anguish.
She also lashed out the Ombudsman for not giving her fair treatment
when according to mayor Benito without reading her position letter, the Ombudsman
issued immediately the dismissal order with the implementation made issued by
the Department of Interior and Local
government (DILG).
she immediately stepped down and did not seek the rule of condonation of Aguinaldo doctrine which says, public officials who have
administrative cases and convicted
but when elected and won in the election,
those cases will be forgotten and
continue with their new mandate.
Benito added that the irresponsible report made a big effect
in her being which according to her she cannot afford to give up her profession
as doctor in exchange for the two months’ salary of the complainant Sarahlyn
Masbod, Municipal budget officer. “ I did not acquire this profession from my
political practices”, Benito said.
She as of this writing, her case is now with the court of appeals pending for
“petition for review” and the incumbent
mayor is now the vice mayor and it happened that Javer benito is her son.
The controversial news report stemmed after the annulment
proclamation of former Mayor Hadji Amer Sampiano last December 2014 and as second vote she assumed as the mayor
of Balabangan town.
“I required all the employees to submit their original
appointment ad I required her to produce
a copy of her appointment as municipal budget officer , which she did not show
credible proof as such appointment since the copy was not duly authenticated or
certified by competent authority, Benito
said.
She said the complainant instead has filed vacation leave and
sick leave through mails at the post office until Benito did not act o her sick
leave because she was already absence without leave (AWOL) and she was dropped
from the roll and was affirmed through a memorandum by the sagguniang bayan
through a resolution number No.41.
“My only hope is for the court of appeals to review my case
and also urge the media to be responsible for the news story because we have our
dignity and deserve respect because of our credibility which we reap for years and
will only destroy by irresponsible and baseless report, here I was a victim of
character assassination”, Ogka said.
Benito is seeking justice for this and said “it will kill me
and finish my political career because of alleged penalty accessories which was
not specified in the Ombudsman decision and that I can no longer run even in
the position of barangay kagawad”.
“I need justice and I am planning to sue those people who are
behind this political harassment. The Ombudsman’s order states “Wherefore, ON
THE FOREGOING, the Office finds respondent EDNA V. OGKA –BENITO, Municipal
Mayor of Balabagan, Lanao del Sur, Guilty of the administrative offense of Grave Misconduct and is meted with penalty
of DISMISSAL from “Service with all its
accessory penalties”.
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