THE Office of the Ombudsman has dismissed from public service suspended Manila International Airport Authority acting general manager Cesar Chiong for grave misconduct, abuse of authority or oppression, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.
The agency’s acting assistant, Irene Montalbo, was not spared from the dismissal order.
Ombudsman Samuel Martires, on Aug. 4, approved the resolution of graft investigation and prosecution officers Clarisa Tejada and Gretchen Duran, acting director-PIAB-A Bonifacio Mandrilla and officer in charge, PAMO II Medwin Dizon.
In April, the Ombudsman imposed a six-month preventive suspension on Chiong and Montalbo for alleged grave abuse of authority and misconduct based on an anonymous complaint from MIAA officials.
The case stemmed from the reassignment of 285 employees a month after Chiong’s assumption into office on July 19, 2022.
Aside from the penalty of dismissal from the service, the Ombudsman also ordered the forfeiture of all their retirement benefits and perpetual disqualification to re-enter government service.
“In the event that the penalty of dismissal can no longer be enforced due to (Chiong’s) separation from the service, the same shall be converted into a fine in the amount equivalent to the respondent’s salary for one year payable to the Office of the Ombudsman, and may be deductible from respondent’s retirement benefits, accrued leave credits, or any receivable from his/her office,” the order read.
The Ombudsman directed the Department of Transportation to implement the decision “and submit promptly a compliance report within five days from receipt indicating OMB case no. OMB-C-A-APR-23-0061, to this office thru the Central Records Division, 2nd Floor, Ombudsman Building, AghamRoad, Diliman, 1104 Quezon City.”