3 days ago
Ombudsman fines Garcia for indirect contempt
The Office of the Ombudsman has fined outgoing Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia P30,000 for defying the office's preventive suspension order.
The Ombudsman ruled that Garcia is guilty of indirect contempt for not stepping down.
In a June 10, 2025 order, the Ombudsman said that 'Despite implementation thereof and its immediately executory nature, you have willfully and openly refused to step down from your position as Governor.'
'On 29 April 2025, you received a copy of the Order of the Ombudsman dated 23 April 2025 ('Preventive Suspension Order') preventively suspending you from Office for the duration of the administrative adjudication of the above-captioned case, but not to exceed six months. Despite implementation thereof and its immediately executory nature, you have willfully and openly refused to step down from your position as Governor,' the Ombudsman said.
'Accordingly, respondent Governor Gwedolyn F. Garcia is hereby declared guilty of INDIRECT CONTEMPT. In consonance with the Rules of Court, a fine not exceeding Thirty Thousand (P30,000) may be imposed as punishment for Indirect Contempt.'
'Wherefore, for defying Preventive Suspension dated 23 April 2025, the Ombudsman finds respondent Governor Gwendolyn F. Garcia GUILTY of INDIRECT CONTEMPT, and is hereby imposed a FINE of Thirty Thousand Pesos (P30,000), payable to the Office of the Ombudsman,' the order reads further.
The Ombudsman placed Garcia under preventive suspension for alleged grave abuse of authority for allegedly granting a special permit to a construction company illegally.
But Garcia did not heed the suspension and obtained a TRO from the CA.
It is with this TRO that she questioned the indirect contempt ruling.
She said in a message to GMA Regional TV Balitang Bisdak:
'A TRO has been issued against his preventive suspension order by the Court of Appeals.
In fact, several media outlets reported the that the Office of the Ombudsman has filed a Motion to Quash on the said CA order. This, in effect, acknowledges the existence of the TRO.
By citing me for indirect contempt, is Ombudsman Martires insisting now that he does not respect the Temporary Restraining Order issued by the Court of Appeals?'
(With report from Fe Marie Dumaboc, GMA Regional TV Balitang Bisdak)
