Republic of the Philippines

OFFICE OF THE OMBUDSMAN

Agham Road, Diliman, Quezon City 1104

FIELD INVESTIGATION OFFICE II,

Office of the Ombudsman
Complainant,

-versus- OMB-C-A-JUL-23-0088
For: Grave Misconduct, Gross
Neglect of Duty and Conduct
Prejudicial to the Best Interest
of the Service
DOMINGO F. PANGANIBAN
Senior Undersecretary

KRISTINE Y. EVANGELISTA
Assistant Secretary for Consumer Affairs
EUNICE F. BIBLANIAS
Administrative Officer V
LOLITA M. JAMELA
Officer-in-Charge Chief Accountant
=All of Department of Agnculture
Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City

ROBERT 8. TAN
President and Chief Executive Officer
JOHN GABRIEL BENEDICT C. TRINIDAD III
Vice-President for Operations
JUANITA G. LUALHATI
Budget Division Head
=A]l of the Food Terminal Incorporated
Western Bicutan, Taguig City

Respondents.

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ORDER

This pertains to the complaint against (1.) Department of Agriculture (DA) officials
and employees namely: Domingo F. Panganiban (Panganiban), Senior Undersecretary;
Kristine Y. Evangelista (Evangelista), Assistant Secretary for Consumer Affairs; Eunice F.
Biblanias (Biblanias), Administrative Officer V; Lolita M. Jamela (Jamela), Officer-in-
Charge Chief Accountant; and (2.) Food Terminal Incorporated (FIT) officials and
employees namely: Robert S. Tan (Tan), President and Chief Executive Officer; John
Gabriel Benedict C. Trinidad III (Trinidad III), Vice-President for Operations; and J uanita
G. Lualhati (Lualhati), Budget Division Head, with prayer for their preventive suspension.
SO ee Ae

Order of Preventive Suspension

Field investigation Office Ii, Office of the Ombud
sman
v. Domingo F. Panganiban, et al.
OMB-C-A-JUL-23-0088

Respondents are being charged of Grave Misconduct, Gross Neglect of Duty and
Conduct Prejudicial to the Best Interest of the Service in connection with
the shortage of
supply of onions in the Philippine markets, its price manipulation and the questiona
ble
procurement of onions by FTI from Bonena Multi-Purpose Cooperative (Bonena).

Records show that DA, through Panganiban entered into a Memorandum of

Agreement (MOA) with FTI for the Food Mobilization (Kadiwa Food Hub) project. FTI,
on the other hand, entered into a Letter of Agreement (LOA) with Bonena for the delivery
of 8,845 bags (approximately 28 kilograms/bag) of onions as part of the said Kadiwa Food
Hub.
Documents further show that violations of Republic Act No. 3019 in relation to
Republic Act No. 9184 or the Procurement Law were allegedly committed by the
respondents in relation to the said Kadiwa Food Hub Project, i.e. lack of parameters in the
selection of cooperative that will supply and deliver the onions; questionable advance
payment of 50% of the contract price; non-compliance of the MOA; partial implementation
of the contract; and doubtful deliveries by Bonena.

In view of the foregoing, it appears that the evidence of guilt of respondents

Evangelista, Biblanias, Jamela, Trinidad II] and Lualhati is strong and the charges against
them involve Grave Misconduct and Gross Neglect of Duty which may warrant their
removal from the service. Considering further that respondents continued stay in the office
may influence potential witnesses and may prejudice the case filed against them due to
their continued access to documentary evidence relative thereto, this Office exercises its
power to place respondents under preventive suspension.

WHEREFORE, pursuant to Section 24 of Republic Act No. 6770, DA Assistant

EUNICE F.
Secretary KRISTINE Y. EVANGELISTA, DA Administrative Officer V
FTI Vice President
BIBLANIAS, DA OIC-Chief Accountant LOLITA M. JAMELA,
for Operations JOHN GABRIEL BENEDICT C. TRINIDAD III and FTI Budget

Division Head JUANITA G. LUALHATI are hereby placed under PREVENTIVE

pay for the duration of the proceedings until the same is
SUSPENSION without
the disposition of the case
terminated, but not to exceed six (6) months. When the delay in
of the respondents, the period of
by this Office is due to the fault, negligence or petition
of suspension. The period of
such delay shall not be counted in computing the period
to respondents of a copy of this
preventive suspension shall be effective upon service
Order.
 Page 3 of4
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ive Suspensio
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OMB-C-A_J UE-
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Assistant Ombudsman C aesar D, Asuncion is hereby directed to immediately

implement this Order
and to inform the undersigned within three
(3) days of the action
taken thereon,

SO ORDERED.

Quezon City, Philippines, 2023.

AUEL RY/MARTIRE
Ombudsman ‘hE

Copy furnished:

FIELD INVESTIGATION OFFICE

Office of the Ombudsman
Agham Road, Diliman, Quezon City

THE HONORABLE SECRETARY

OR HIS AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE
Department of Agriculture
Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City

THE HUMAN RESOURCE DIVISION

Department of Agriculture
Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City

THE RESIDENT AUDITOR

Department of Agriculture
Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City

THE HUMAN RESOURCE DIVISION

Food Terminal Incorporated
Western Bicutan, Taguig City

THE RESIDENT AUDITOR

Food Terminal Incorporated
Western Bicutan, Taguig City