Baguio City– To the relief of many, the two highest ranking officials of the Department of Transportation-Cordillera Administrative Region (DOTr-CAR) were dismissed from the service through an order served on them recently.
Atty. Jesus Eduardo Natividad, former regional director of the DOTr-CAR and former Assisstant Regional Director Datu Mohammed Abbas were found guilty of administrative offenses and corruption charges.
Unfortunately, Abbas refuses to obey the order, saying only President Duterte can terminate him because he is a presidential appointee. In a press release issued by the DOTr, however, it said that for the record, Abbas does not hold any appointment paper from President Duterte. He was appointed by the previous administration, and is serving the DOTr-CAR on a hold-over and acting capacity. A replacement has already been appointed.
Abbas was dismissed after several stakeholders in Baguio City and the Cordillera region charged him for misconduct including the following allegations: accepting money to facilitate the issuance of Certificates of Public Convenience (CPCs), 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 on a certain clinic employee.
After evaluating the statements and affidavits in support of the charges against him, the DOTr found Abbas guilty of the administrative offense of Grave Misconduct and Conduct Prejudicial to the Best Interest of the Service with the penalty of dismissal from the service.
Meanwhile, Atty. Natividad was found guilty of Gross Neglect of Duty after he issued a CPC for a U-Hop application within the moratorium period.
The dismissal order also comes with accessory penalties of cancellation of eligibility, forfeiture of retirement benefits, and perpetual disqualification for re-employment in the government service.**
