Bohol Governor Aumentado 68 officials suspended over chaos at Chocolate Hills Resort

Bohol Governor Erico Aris Aumentado and 68 other officials have been placed on precautionary suspension for six months by the Office of the Ombudsman over the Chocolate Hills Resort controversy, according to an order released late Tuesday.

Aumentado, mayor, a deputy mayor, village officials, police officers and officials of government agencies were suspended without pay due to serious misconduct, gross neglect of duty and conduct prejudicial to the interest of the service, according to the order signed by Ombudsman Samuel Martires on May 20.

The suspension is immediately enforceable. It lasts until the administrative decision on the case is finalised, but not longer than six months, “unless the delay in dealing with the case is due to their fault, negligence or their request.”

Also named as respondents were Bohol Representatives Edgar Chatto (First District) and Kristine Alexie Tutor (Third District), as well as former Governors Rene Relampagos and Arthur Yap.

Yap was also a former congressman, who was succeeded by Tutor.

The Ombudsman Field Investigative Office, which is the complainant in this case, stated that the respondents “acted with manifest bias, in manifest bad faith and gross, inexcusable negligence and committed gross violations of the National Integrated Protected Areas System Act, 1992 (NIPAS Act, 1992) and the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System Act, 2018 (E-NIPAS Act, 2018) by persisting and continually tolerating the operation and expansion of Captain’s Peak Garden and Resort despite the lack of environmental approvals and blatant violations of the NIPAS and E-NIPAS Act.”

A video showing the Captain’s Peak Garden and Resort built near Chocolate Hills in Sagbayan town made the rounds on social media in March.

The resort ceased operations on March 14.

With Proclamation 1037, signed in July 1997, the Chocolate Hills were declared a natural monument and included in the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) list of World Heritage Sites.

“Notwithstanding the existence of previous private rights, no activities of any kind, including quarrying, shall be carried out that alter, mutilate, deface or destroy the hills. All public and private lands within, around and surrounding the hills shall not be used for other purposes incompatible with the objectives of this proclamation,” said the proclamation signed by the late President Fidel V. Ramos.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said that although the resort owner was not issued an Environmental Impact Certificate (ECC) by the Environmental Management Office, he was nevertheless granted a building permit and an operation permit by the municipality of Sagbayan.

The DENR has subsequently suspended all ECC applications for projects in protected areas.

The Ministry of the Interior participated in the investigation by setting up a special task force.

Aumentado urged his colleagues in the capital to maintain their high work standards during his absence.

“This is a call to all of us to pay attention to protecting our environment. Let us continue to pray fervently and trust that the problem will be solved,” he said in a statement translated from the dialect on Facebook.

Aumentado said he and the province would remain strong in the face of this great challenge.

“We should not be sad because there is our Almighty who will guide us and take care of everything. This is the moment for us to unite and continue our good deeds, protect our environment and support the programs and policies of our provincial government. I will come back for you, to continue to serve you, for the continued development of Bohol. I will return,” he said. (PNA)