Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 28) — Former Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) chief Jeremiah Belgica on Friday said he will appeal the Office of the Ombudsman’s decision to dismiss him and four others from their posts over a graft complaint filed by DITO Telecommunications Corp.
READ: ARTA officials ordered dismissed by Ombudsman over telco complaint
The Ombudsman found Belgica and former ARTA officials Eduardo Bringas, Sheryl Pura-Sumagui, Jedrek Ng, and Melamy Salvadora-Asperin guilty of grave misconduct over the alleged irregular grant of frequencies to a telecommunications company.
They were accused of illegally issuing a resolution in 2021 that assigned contingent frequencies in favor of Now Telecom Company Inc., even though the same frequencies were already assigned to DITO by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) as third telco player.
According to the ruling, if the dismissal can no longer be enforced due to separation from service, they should instead pay a fine equal to their salary for one year. Penalties also include the cancellation of civil service eligibility, forfeiture of retirement benefits, and perpetual disqualification to hold public office.
In a statement, Belgica said they will file their appeal once they receive a copy of the Ombudsman’s resolution. It was signed by Ombudsman Samuel Martires on March 3 but was only released on Thursday.
In June last year, Martires ordered a six-month preventive suspension against the former ARTA officials due to the complaint. Belgica filed a counter affidavit and appealed the suspension order.
Reacting to their dismissal, the former ARTA chief reiterated that the case was about their implementation of the automatic approval provision of the Republic Act 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018.
“Katunayan, pinagtibay ng Court of Appeals (CA) noong nakaraang taon sa kasong Newsnet vs NTC na ang NTC, katulad ng lahat ng ahensya ng gobyerno, ay dapat sumunod sa batas laban sa red tape o ang R.A. 11032,” Belgica said.
READ: CA denies NTC appeal vs. Newsnet permit
“Sa parehong desisyon, ipinawalang-bisa rin ng CA ang opinyon o resolusyon ng Kalihim ng Katarungan na naging basehan ng kaso sa Ombudsman laban sa amin,” he added.
[Translation: In fact, it was affirmed by the Court of Appeals last year in the case of Newsnet vs. NTC that NTC, like any government agency, must follow the law against red tape or Republic Act 11032. In that same decision, the CA voided the opinion or resolution of the Secretary of Justice, which was the basis of the case before the Ombudsman against us.]
