Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla urged mayors across the country to strictly oversee their personnel following recent flags regarding alleged irregularities in municipal garbage collection contracts.
Clarifying that his warning was not a sweeping accusation against all local chief executives, Remulla explicitly cleared Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto and Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte from involvement in the alleged anomalies.
Nevertheless, the Ombudsman stressed that local leaders must remain vigilant, warning that illicit dealings could occur within municipal departments without the chief executive’s immediate awareness.
“Sa ilalim nila, yung mga opisina, Business Processing Licensing Office, yung nagbibigay ng permits… [Office of the Building Official], lahat iyan, check-in niyo. You should be aware of people under you who are committing shenanigans,” Remulla advised during his radio program.
Remulla cautioned that under the principle of command responsibility, mayors could face liability if they tolerate or fail to address corrupt practices among their staff.
To curb local corruption, he encouraged citizens to officially file reports with the mayor’s office whenever they experience extortion or undue delays while processing municipal permits and licenses.
He added that complainants should submit copy-furnish copies to both the Office of the Ombudsman and the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) to guarantee full accountability for delinquent public employees.