The Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) preventively suspended acting National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Administrator Benny Antiporda for six months without pay due to the administrative complaints filed by NIA officials, employees, and lawyers against him.
In a six-page order dated Nov. 15, OMB said Antiporda is facing multiple complaints of grave misconduct, conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, harassment, ignorance of the law, and oppression.
“After a careful evaluation of records, this Office finds that among the respondents, respondent Benny D. Atinporda's guilt is strong,” it said.
It added that the case “may warrant his removal from the service.”
According to the Ombudsman, Antiporda was disgruntled when NIA lawyers proposed that then Administrator Ricardo Visaya should continue as NIA Administrator.
For this reason, it said that after Antiporda was tapped as NIA acting Administrator, he allegedly did some "retaliatory tactics" to workers.
These acts include prohibiting travel for Central Office managers, transferring employees without a valid basis, berating and humiliating others, and placing some officials under floating status.
The acting NIA Director also allegedly harasses a certain employee, prompting others to resign or else he will file a case against them, and threatens some with nonrenewal of their appointments.
