DENR chief sacks land investigator over dishonesty

Environment Secretary Ramon Paje ordered on Thursday the dismissal of a land investigator for alleged grave misconduct and dishonesty. Paje ordered DENR Metro Manila executive director Laureano Lingan to dismiss land investigator Roland Mabale from the service. “This should serve as a stern warning to all government employees. If you are thinking of taking lightly President Benigno S. Aquino III’s drive against corruption, think twice," Paje said in an article posted Thursday on the government portal. With his dismissal from the service, Mabale is also disqualified from reinstatement or reemployment in the government service. Paje's order stemmed from a decision of Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez finding Mabale guilty of grave misconduct and dishonesty, with the penalty of dismissal from the service. Paje also reiterated his warning to DENR employees that they face charges if they err in the performance of their duties. “I would like to reiterate my call to the DENR employees to do what is right in performance of their duties and responsibilities as public servants because I will not hesitate to file charges against any erring and dishonest personnel in the department," he said. Complaint against Mabale Ombudsman Gutierrez's decision stemmed from a complaint filed by the heirs of Pedro Ocol against Mabale and a certain Elvira San Pedro, a school teacher in Taguig City. The complaint, docketed as OMB-C-A-08-0095-C, involves a titling procedure of a 4,290-square-meter property at Ngusong Buwaya, Ibayo/Palingon-Tipas in Taguig City and allegedly owned by Ocol. The complainants, who represented themselves as the direct heirs of Ocol, said the city government acknowledged the ownership of Ocol over the said property even though earlier tax declarations in the possession of the Assessor’s Office of Taguig City were destroyed due to wear and tear. When Ocol died on September 5, 2004, the heirs decided to work for the titling of the lot as it was only covered by tax declarations. The Ocol family requested for a survey authority from the Land Management Services of the DENR on Nov. 6, 2006. On January 17, 2007, DENR land officers Raul Bicares and Engr. Richard Montano reportedly inspected the site. Conflicts in the survey plan However, on February 22, 2007, when the Ocol family were informed that the survey plan was already approved, they were surprised to find out that the survey plan was placed in the name of Elvira San Pedro. A record verification showed that on November 13, 2006, an undated similar request for Survey Authority for the same property was reportedly submitted by San Pedro. An inspection report of the said property, dated November 30, 2006, was submitted by land investigator Mabale. Mabale’s report became the basis for the approval of the survey plan issued by the DENR-LMS in the name of San Pedro, prompting Ocol’s heirs to file administrative charges against Mabale and San Pedro for misconduct and dishonesty. False inspection report The Ocol family alleged in their complaint that Mabale filed a false Inspection Report, citing the following allegedly false statements: