DILG: Suspension order served on gov despite bomb threat at NE capitol

A WRONG address and a bomb threat stood in the way, but the team dispatched by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) managed to serve the suspension order of the Office of the Ombudsman against Nueva Ecija Gov. Aurelio Umali.

In a compliance report submitted to Assistant Ombudsman Pilarita Lapitan, DILG Region 3 assistant regional director Jay Timbreza informed the Ombudsman that its May 10, 2024 directive placing Umali under a six-month preventive suspension was officially posted at the provincial capitol and a copy tendered to an official of the provincial government in the absence of the governor on May 22, 2024.

The preventive suspension was issued based on a pending administrative adjudication based on a complaint filed by one Roberto Duldulao regarding alleged questionable issuance of multiple quarrying permits despite deficient clearances from the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

Also covered by the Ombudsman’s order were Umali’s wife, former Gov. Czarina Umali, and Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Wilfredo Pangilinan.

The DILG team went to the Office of the Provincial Governor on Gabaldon Street in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija at 8:30 in the morning of May 22, 2024 where it was met by several provincial officials who assured them the respondent would personally receive the Ombudsman’s order at around 11:30 a.m.

Among those present identified in the DILG’s report were the head of the Public Employment Service Office (PESO), the acting provincial assessor, the provincial tourism officer, and a former town mayor.

When Umali failed to show up, the DILG team decided to post a copy of the suspension order on the door of the Office of the Governor and tried to serve a copy to the acting provincial assessor who however refused to receive it.

At this point, the team realized that the address on the Ombudsman’s directive was the “Old Capitol” in Cabanatuan City but the official seat of power of the province has been relocated to the New Capitol located in Palayan City.

“Thus, for prudence’s sake, and to fully comply with the letter and spirit of the order, the team deemed it necessary to go to the New