Palace dismisses Pichay as LWUA head

Malacañang has ordered the dismissal of Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) chairman Prospero Pichay and two other officials for their alleged misuse of the agency’s funds. At a press briefing on Monday, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. had already transmitted the dismissal order of the Office of the Ombudsman to the Department of Health. Valte said Ochoa wrote a letter to Health Secretary Enrique Ona, who then ordered LWUA acting administrator Salvador Ner to implement the order. LWUA is under the DOH. Valte could not say when the order was transmitted, but pointed out that the Ombudsman order is immediately executory although Pichay could still appeal it before a court. “Pwede pa siyang umapela sa korte ngunit ang desisyon ng Office of the Ombudsman na may ganitong penalty ay immediately executory even pending appeal," she said. “Matatanggal siya but that does not foreclose his availment of legal remedies available to him that includes seeking relief from higher court." Pichay, who is allied with the Arroyo administration, earlier said he will question the dismissal before the Court of Appeals. He accused acting Ombudsman Orlando Casimiro of using the case to impress the Aquino administration, noting that Casimiro has applied for the Ombudsman post. Casimiro found Pichay, acting administrator Daniel Landingin and acting deputy administrator Wilfredo Feleo liable for grave misconduct for their “unlawful disbursement" of P780 million in LWUA funds to invest in the Laguna-based thrift bank Express Savings Bank Inc. (EXSBI). LWUA, a government-owned and -controlled corporation, is a specialized lending institution for the promotion, development, and financing of local water utilities, and a depository of the reserves for capital improvement of local water utilities. — Amita O. Legaspi/KBK, GMA News