‘Fake’ OMB report vs. Sta. Rosa City, Laguna mayor

A ‘TRANSMITTAL Order’ to the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) purportedly coming from the Office of the Ombudsman for Luzon ordering the suspension for 8 months of Sta. Rosa City, Laguna mayor, Arlene Arcillas “and others as stated,” turned out to be fake.

This was confirmed to Pinoy Exposé by no less than DILG secretary, Eduardo M. Año last August 20, 2021, when asked to comment on the authenticity of the document addressed to him and purportedly signed on behalf of the Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon by one ‘Joaquin F. Salazar,’ “Director, Preliminary Investigation, Administrative Adjudication and Prosecution Bureau-A.”

“In compliance to office order 2021-141 the Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon hereby recommend the suspension of the respondents from public service as municipal mayor and others stated of 8 months upon receipt of notice from your office,” reads the document dated July 30, 2021.

The directive to suspend Arcillas and other city officials was purportedly the result of an “evaluation” (evaluation number 21-0065) conducted by the OMB for Luzon.

“Negative. It looks fake to me. That is not the format of the OMB order that we are receiving,” reads Año’s brief reply to the question asked by this paper, after sending him a copy of the document that Pinoy Exposé received thru ‘Messenger’ on August 19, 2021.

The purported complainant in the case for “grave abuse of authority” purportedly under OMB case number OMB-L-A-21-0015 against Arcillas and other city officials, who were not named, is the ‘Kamao ng Sta. Rosa, et. al.’

It appeared that the main basis for the complaint was an audit report on Sta. Rosa City made by the Commission on Audit (COA).

When contacted for comment, Arcillas said she has nothing to say as there is still an “ongoing investigation” but was eager to find out who forwarded the document (the media is not obligated to reveal the source of its information except when compelled by a committee of Congress or by the court and only on cases involving national security—Editor).

Arcillas added she is already aware that there is a “document circulating in social media” alleging she is ordered suspended by the OMB and that she has already sought the help of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

Although the confirmation by the DILG chief that the transmittal order is fake, Arcillas warned she is contemplating filing a criminal case against those behind the smear job as soon as their identities have been revealed.