DAET, CNorte — The Special Seventh
Division of the Court of Appeals (CA) has
partially granted the petition for review by
petitioner Edgardo "Egay" A. Tallado against respondents
Office of the Ombudsman and
Edgardo S. Gonzales, in a decision released
last September 26.
In the dispositive
portion, the court said
"Wherefore, in view
of the foregoing case,
the instant petition for
review is PARTIALLY
GRANTED. Petitioner
Edgardo A. Tallado is
found guilty of Simple
Misconduct and is
meted the penalty of
suspension of six (6)
months.
It will be recalled
that this case started
as early as October 2,
2015.
The Office of the
Ombudsman had issued
an Order finding
the petitioner (Tallado)
administratively liable
for Oppression/Grave
Abuse of Authority.
He
was imposed a penalty
of suspension from
public service for one
(1) year.
In the criminal
and administrative
complaint, Camarines
Norte Provincial Veterinarian
Edgardo Gonzales,
questioned his
re-assignment from the
position of Provincial
Veterinarian to Provincial
Information Officer.
When the private
respondent refused to
report for work, the
Tallado dropped him
TALLADO from p.1 from the rolls.
Meanwhile, interviewed
by the media,
Sherwin Mata, Public
Information Officer of
Camarines Norte said
Tallado wanted to have
a complete reversal of
the decision of the Ombudsman
which meted
a penalty of dismissal
against him. But, the
Court of Appeals had
only partially granted
the petition.
The CA added
"petitioner should only
be held liable for simple
misconduct. Simple
misconduct is punishable
under Section 46
(D) (2) of the Revised
Tules on Administrative
Cases in the Civil
Service (RRACCS)
with suspension of one
(1) month and one (1)
day to sixe (6) months.
Considering the circumstances
obtaining
in this case, particularly
petitioner's failure
to immediately heed
the directive from the
DILG to desist from
performing the functions
of Governor of
Camarines Norte on
August 5, 2016.
We
deem it proper to impose
a penalty of six
(6) months suspension."
"It must be noted
that the petitioner
had already vacated
the Office of Governor
as early as March
14, 2018, by reason
of the Decision of the
Ombudsman so that
he has already fully
served the penalty imposed
herein."
In an interview,
Tallado declared that
he is now ready to run
for the top position in
the province.