ILOILO – The Philippine National Police (PNP) has finally cancelled the dismissal order issued against former Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) director Senior Superintendent Cornelio Salinas.
The move came 10 months after the Court of Appeals ordered on Jan. 20, 2018 Salinas’ reinstatement.
Salinas was ordered dismissed from the police service on June 2, 2015 by the Office of the Ombudsman for grave misconduct. The PNP issued the dismissal order some five months after, on Nov. 5, 2015.
The police official himself confirmed yesterday having received PNP General Orders No. 4054 cancelling his dismissal order during a courtesy visit to Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr. at the Iloilo provincial capitol.
PNP General Orders No. 4054 was issued by Director Lyndon Cubos of the PNP’s Personnel and Records Management on Nov. 15, 2018.
It also ordered Salinas’ immediate reinstatement to his former or equivalent position without loss or diminution in his salary and such other emoluments corresponding to the period he was out of the service.
With Salinas reinstated were Superintendent Nepomuceno Corpus Jr. and Superintendent Michel Amos Filart.
In cancelling Salinas’ dismissal order, the PNP cited the 17-page January 2018 decision of the Court of Appeals reversing a 2015 Office of the Ombudsman ruling dismissing the police official, Corpus and Filart for grave misconduct in relation to the procurement of PNP rubber boats in 2009.
In 2009 Salinas was a member of the PNP Maritime Group’s Bids and Awards Committee (MG-BAC) that approved the emergency purchase of coastal crafts following a series of typhoons (“Ondoy”, “Peping”, “Quedan”, “Ramil”, “Santi”, “Tino”, “Urduja”, and “Vinta”).
But at the time of his dismissal from the service in 2015, Salinas was already assigned as IPPO director.
According to the Court of Appeals, the emergency procurement of rubber boats worth P5 million was justified and the MG-BAC in fact “conducted the negotiated procurement with utmost transparency and in accordance with the rules and (National Police Commission) specifications.”
Salinas welcomed PNP General Orders No. 4054. He said he looked forward to immediately working again.
“Indi ko ma-intindihan kon ano akon ginabatyag,” said Salinas who is set to process needed documents in Camp Crame, the PNP headquarters.
As of this writing, his next assignment remained unclear.
Salinas hoped his experience would inspire other policemen in similar situations not to lose faith in the justice system.
“My faith in the Lord sustained me despite the humiliation I received,” said Salinas.
The members of the PNP’s MG-BAC were accused of violating Republic Act (RA) 9184 (Government Procurement Reform Act) for dispensing the public bidding for the rubber boats.
According to the Court of Appeals, however, as provided for under Section 48 of the Act itself, alternative ways to make purchases may be resorted to at exceptional times, one of which is negotiated procurement.
“…(T)he negotiated procurement of the coastal crafts is justified. A state of calamity, a requirement that necessitates resort to a negotiated procurement pursuant to Section 53 (b) of RA 9184, was existent. More so, the high probability of upcoming typhoons necessitated the procurement of the said crafts,” stressed the CA.
“The Ombudsman’s conclusion must be struck down,” stated the appellate court./PN
