Top DOTr-Cordillera officials axed over corrupt practices

BAGUIO CITY – The Department of Transportation (DOTr)-Cordillera regional director lawyer Jesus Eduardo Natividad and his assistant, Datu Mahammad Abbas, has been dismissed from government office after they were found guilty of administrative offenses and corruption.
The DOTr on Wednesday (August 22) served the order to dismiss the two controversial officials.
Abbas even refused to obey the agency’s order insisting that only President Rodrigo Duterte can terminate him because he is a presidential appointee.
According to records however, DOTr said, Abbas does not hold any appointment paper from Duterte but from former past Pres. Benigno Aquino III and was serving the DOTr-CAR on a hold-over and acting capacity.
A replacement has already been appointed in place of Abbas, who was accused and found guilty of misdeeds including accepting money to facilitate the issuance of Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC), extortion in exchange for the release of impounded vehicles, accepting commissions from medical and notarial fees relative to franchise applications, as well as Conduct Prejudicial to the Best Interest of the Service for brandishing and toting a gun against a certain clinic employee.
The DOTr said it found Abbas guilty of administrative offense of Grave Misconduct and Conduct Prejudicial to the Best Interest of the Service with the penalty of dismissal from the service after painstaking scrutiny and careful evaluation of the statements and affidavits by several stakeholders in Baguio City and Cordillera.
While Natividad was found guilty of Gross Neglect of Duty after he issued a CPC for a U-Hop application within the moratorium period.
Natividad’s eligibility was also cancelled as an accessory penalty for his misdeeds and likewise his retirement benefits were also forfeited including perpetually disqualifying him from re-employment in government service. ACE ALEGRE / ABN

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