By EUGENE ADIONG
BACOLOD City — The Office of the Ombudsman–Visayas denied the motion for reconsideration that a National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) personnel filed against its decision to suspend the latter for misconduct.
It earlier found NBI Special Investigator Geovel Aperio guilty for simple misconduct after confronting a radio broadcaster here over commentaries against him.
Deputy Ombudsman Pelagio Apostol suspended Aperio for three months without pay, but the respondent appealed the decision.
In his motion, Aperio claimed that the December 13, 2012, Ombudsman decision was “palpably erroneous” and that “the acts of inquiring and staring caused no damage to complainant at all, which cannot justify the three-month suspension imposed” on him.
But Graft and Prosecution Officer Eleanor Tayad-De Mira, in her order dated February 4, 2014, said the respondent “had, indeed, intended to create fear in the minds of complainant and his group.”
Rommel Pido, who works for dyAF Radio Veritas, filed the complaint against Aperio. He said the Aperio, on March 25, 2011, came to the radio station and confronted him regarding his on-air commentaries.
Pido had said he criticized Aperio in his radio show after receiving text messages from listeners accusing the NBI investigator of abuses and arrogance.
The Ombudsman said its decision “was based in the totality of the circumstances presented by complainant and his witnesses, which were not overturned by the respondent.”
“While the alleged act of the complainant in maligning him on air, which act could be considered a provocation, it did not, however, justify an undesirable reaction from him (Aperio),” it said.
This “should (serve as) a lesson for those in authority not to threaten the media,” Pido told Panay News. “We will soon write NBI Director Virgilio Mendez to implement the suspension of Aperio.”/PN
