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Ombudsman scores win against ex-mayor of Valencia City
28 September 2012

     THE Office of the Ombudsman scored another win after the Sandiganbayan found former Valencia City mayor Jose Galario Jr. guilty of violating Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

      In a 44-page decision penned by Associate Justice Rafael Lagos and concurred in by Associate Justices Efren dela Cruz and Rodolfo Ponferrada, the anti-graft court’s First Division sentenced Galario to imprisonment of 6 years and 1 month, as minimum, to 7 years as maximum, with perpetual disqualification from public office.

      The case against Galario stemmed from the complaint filed by Ruth Piano, long-time budget officer of Valencia City, when she was replaced as city budget officer on July 2, 2001 upon Galario’s assumption into office. In her stead, Galario placed Bartolome Barte who was occupying the position of Management Audit Analyst with Salary Grade 11, and designated Piano as liaison officer.
 
      Piano secured a Civil Service Commission (CSC)-Region X Office ruling dated January 7, 2002. After Galario’s motion for reconsideration was denied on February 18, 2002, he elevated the matter to the CSC Central Office, which affirmed the said ruling.

      On May 21, 2003, Galario issued a memorandum reinstating Piano as city budget officer. After five days, however, Galario negated the order through another memorandum transferring Piano to the Office of the City Cooperative as cooperative officer.

      In its ruling, the Court held that Galario committed the offense despite the resolutions of the CSC national office and the CSC regional office in Cagayan de Oro City ordering the reinstatement of Piano to her previous position as city budget officer.

      “Galario’s unjustified refusal to fully reinstate Piano, despite the latter’s repeated demands and orders of the [CSC], was, therefore, clearly for the purpose of furthering Galario’s self-interest in having Bartolome Barte acting as City Budget Officer and ousting Piano, whom he did not trust,” the ruling stated. “Galario gave undue advantage to Barte as the latter received RATA allowances normally given only to a bona fide City Budget Officer.”

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