Miag-ao Mayor, 3 others face twin Ombudsman cases on quarrying, graft
By Manny Regalado Alcalde
Two separate complaints have been filed at the Office of the Ombudsman against Miag-ao, Iloilo Mayor Oscar Richard Garin Jr. and three other municipal officials over alleged illegal extraction of sand and gravel, and a case of graft and corruption in violation of Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
The complaints were filed separately and officially received by the Ombudsman Regional Office 6 in Iloilo City on June 22 and June 29, 2026.
The first case accused Mayor Garin and municipal employees Larry Munion, acting Municipal Planning and Development Officer (MPDO); Ronilo Namo, personnel of the Municipal Engineering Office; and Isidro Mosura, Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Officer (MENRO), of illegally extracting sand and gravel from the Tumagbok River without the required permit.
Complainant Gregorio M. Acsay Jr., a resident of Brgy. Mat-y, Miagao, secured certification from the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) confirming that no Gratuitous Sand and Gravel Permit had been issued to the Miag-ao LGU for any extraction activities.
In his affidavit, Acsay alleged that he personally witnessed LGU-owned dump trucks and payloaders extracting sand and gravel on June 11, 12, and 13, with operations continuing later in June. He further claimed that the extraction site was located 100 to 189 meters from the Tumagbok Bridge, in violation of Provincial Ordinance No. 2017-145, which prohibits quarrying within one kilometer of any bridge.
Acsay also stated that when he sought clarification from Munion, the latter allegedly admitted that the operations were ordered by Mayor Garin. He added that police personnel, including Miagao Chief of Police Major Richard Lao, were present during the extraction activities on June 11 and 12, 2026.
The second Ombudsman case, filed on June 29, accused Garin, Munion, and Namo of conspiring to commit acts that caused undue injury to the government and granted unwarranted benefits to private contractors AD Pendon Construction and Supply, Inc. and Asia Structural Developer Corporation.
According to Acsay, the respondents favored private contractors by providing materials and supplies using municipal vehicles and equipment. He alleged that this caused financial loss to the municipality due to expenses for fuel, maintenance, wear and tear, and labor from June 4 to June 20, 2026—all charged to taxpayers without proper authority.
Mayor Garin, through the municipality’s official Facebook page Miag-ao Infocen, said he has yet to receive a copy of the complaint. “On the alleged Ombudsman complaint… I have not yet seen the complaint, so indi pa kita maka-comment. Let’s just wait… hulat-hulaton ta,” Garin stated.
He also expressed frustration that some media outlets quickly reported the filing of the cases but did not highlight the municipality’s recent award from the RP Mission and Development Foundation.
Garin cited the case of Mayor Vico Sotto, who faced a complaint that did not progress into a full case. He further questioned the credibility of complainant Acsay, claiming: “A certain Acsay kuno ang complainant. He is the same person who also complained to the Ombudsman about RGA. I don’t think he is the proper party for that complaint because he is not a parent of a learner. He has no justiciable interest.”
As of press time, Mayor Garin could not be reached for further comment.
