15 face charges for anomalous Cebu City Garbage Collection

CEBU CITY, Philippines—At least 15 individuals, including former and incumbent officials of the Cebu City Government, are facing criminal and administrative charges over an anomalous garbage collection scheme that cost P240 million in public funds.

The National Bureau of Investigation in Central Visayas (NBI-7) on Thursday, December 15, 2022, announced that they lodged complaints of plunder, malversation of public funds, graft and corruption and violation of the government code of conduct and ethics before the Office of the Ombudsman last Wednesday, December 14.

In a press conference on Thursday, NBI-7 said they uncovered at least three modus operandi in carrying out the fraudulent garbage collection arrangement. These are overbilling, padding, and ghost garbage deliveries. 

NBI-7 named former City Administrator and lawyer Floro Casas Jr., former Department of Public Services (DPS) chief and lawyer John Jigo Dacua, and Cebu Environmental Sanitation and Enforcement Team (Ceset) head and former Garbage Collection and Disposal in-charge Grace Luardo-Silva as among  the respondents. 

Other city hall executives accused included Allen Omlero Ceballos (Inspection Officer of DPS), Romelito Asinjo Datan (City Treasurer’s Office Inspector, DPS), Mark Abarquez Ugbinar (General Services Office Inspector, DPS), Jerome Visarra Ornopia, and Mare Vae Fernandez (acting City Treasurer). 

NBI-7 also filed criminal charges against private individuals from Docast Construction and JJ & J Construction and General Supply. These are Jayra Angelic Maningo Ruiz-Javier (Authorized Managing Officer), John David Sevilles Javier (Operation Manager), Erika May Quiño (Encoder), Jay Alexander Aguilar Ruiz (Incorporator), Maridel Maningo Ruiz (Incorporator), Robert Jay Maningo Ruiz (Incorporator), and Jayvic Castrenz Maningo Ruiz (Incorporator). 

Lifestyle check

CDN Digital has reached out to the respondents but as of this posting, only Grace Luardo has so far replied.

In a text message, Luardo denied having a hand in the anomalous garbage collection scheme. 

“Wala man koy gibuhat na dautan. Wala pud ko gikawat. Wala man ko madatu – 32 years of service putli nakong ikapanghambog naka paedukar ko sa akong mga anak: bahalag mangutang dili mangawat,” said Luardo. 

(I haven’t done anything wrong. I also didn’t steal anything. I didn’t  become rich-in 32 years of service, I can proudly say I was able to give my children proper education. I didn’t mind loaning money but not steal.)  

She added that she is also ready to undergo a lifestyle check to prove that she has not gained ill-gotten wealth in her capacity. 

NBI-7’s case stemmed from a request by Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama to investigate what they described as an irregular and anomalous contract the then administration entered into with Docast Construction/JJ & J Construction and General Supply for the city’ garbage collection in 2020. 

/bmjo

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