In a ruling that sent shockwaves through local political circles, the Office of the Ombudsman has indicted Tanauan, Leyte Mayor Gina Merilo for allegedly skirting the law to hire two political allies just months after they lost in the May 2022 elections.
The Ombudsman said Merilo’s decision to appoint Quintin Octa Jr., her former running mate, as project engineer, and Reynalda Almaden as mobile nurse on July 1, 2022, violated the one-year ban on the hiring of losing candidates under Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
The nine-page decision, signed by Ombudsman Samuel Martires on Sept. 30 and released on Nov. 4, minced no words.
The mayor’s actions allegedly showed “manifest partiality” and a “furtive design and intent to circumvent” constitutional safeguards meant to prevent defeated candidates from being rewarded with government jobs.
From a mere complaint
The charges stemmed from a complaint by Tanauan resident Mildred Lopez, who questioned why two recently defeated candidates were suddenly on the municipal payroll.
Lopez’s challenge pried open an investigation that would soon raise questions about political favoritism inside Tanauan’s newly installed administration.
Investigators found that the appointments took place barely two months after the polls which are far from the one-year buffer mandated to preserve fairness and prevent post-election patronage.
In good faith?
Mayor Merilo, a first-term local chief executive, argued in her submission to the Ombudsman that the appointments were not acts of favoritism but decisions made after consulting the town’s HR officer.
She said the HR office had sought guidance from regional officials of both the Civil Service Commission (CSC) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) where they allegedly received verbal assurance that the hires were acceptable.
The mayor stressed that Octa and Almaden were not given plantilla positions but job order contracts, which are temporary and do not confer permanent employment.“
"As a first-term mayor, I relied on advice from our HR officer and on guidance reportedly given by the CSC and DILG." Merilo said in a statement.
"There was no ill intent on my part. We acted in good faith to meet urgent service needs. Once we officially receive the decision, we will respond and comply with all legal processes.”
But the Ombudsman rejected that reasoning, saying the use of job orders did not excuse the violation, especially when the hires involved political allies who had just lost an election.
According to the ruling, Merilo’s actions amounted to undue favoritism.
The Ombudsman emphasized that even non-plantilla posts must respect the one-year ban and that circumventing it, whether through temporary appointments or other administrative maneuvers, constitutes a breach of anti-graft laws.
Other legal observers note that this case highlights a growing national scrutiny of job order hiring, long used by local governments to fill urgent posts but also criticized as a backdoor for political accommodation.
In this instance, the Ombudsman concluded the maneuver was too blatant to ignore.
The region has increasingly found itself under the Ombudsman’s microscope, with political watchers saying the scrutiny could reshape local alliances.
For Tanauan, the case plunges Merilo’s young administration into uncertainty.
If convicted under RA 3019, the mayor could face imprisonment, perpetual disqualification from public office, and forfeiture of political rights.
As the case is set to be filed in the Sandiganbayan, residents and political leaders alike are waiting to see whether Merilo’s defense of good faith stands up or whether the Ombudsman’s narrative of political accommodation prevails.
What is clear is that a routine staffing decision has now become a high-stakes legal battle.
One that will test not only the mayor’s leadership but the boundaries of power in local governance.
#WeTakeAStand #OpinYon #OpinYonNews