THE Office of the Ombudsman has dismissed Roland Calde, former director of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) Cordillera, on charges of grave misconduct.
Calde, now NCIP director for Central Luzon, was once NCIP Cordillera director, during which the Ombudsman found that he had committed grave abuse of authority, grave misconduct, and ignorance of the law in 2017.
However, the additional charge of conduct prejudicial to the interest of the government, as well as charges against NCIP Itogon community development officer Abilene Cirilo were dismissed for lack of evidence.
The complaints against Calde were from Baguio City Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR) Roger Sinot, stemming from the former NCIP official’s refusal to issue a certificate of affirmation to allow Sinot to serve as IPMR on the Baguio City Council.
Calde and Cirilo wrote a protest letter against Sinot’s selection by the indigenous community of Baguio City, which the Ombudsman said “willfully violated” the guidelines for IPMR selection.
The Office of the Ombudsman also ordered the cancellation of eligibility, forfeiture of benefits, and perpetual disqualification for reemployment in the government service for Calde.
