Former governor Esteban Evan “Nonoy” Contreras clarified there is no disqualification order against him despite having been found guilty for an administrative case.
“Patalang ini nga istorya (This story is misleading),” Contreras told Capiz Times sa Kahanginan.
Contreras emphasized the penalty imposed against him by the Ombudsman did not include perpetual disqualification, which prohibits him from holding any government position.
As an independent gubernatorial candidate, Contreras slammed his political opponents for only releasing portion of the memorandum by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
The DILG memorandum pertains to the penalty imposed by the Ombudsman, which found Contreras guilty of violating the Government Procurement Reform Act in connection with medical supplies purchased during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Also found guilty by the Ombudsman were former provincial administrator Edwin Monares and Dr. Edmarie Tormon, who served as chief of the Roxas Memorial Provincial Hospital (RMPH) during the Contreras administration.
Contreras pointed out that this Ombudsman ruling was not new as it was made last October 2023.
Contreras said his camp already filed a motion for reconsideration long before the DILG memorandum was forwarded to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) of Capiz this year.
The DILG memorandum states the former governor as well as Monares and Tormon were supposed to pay a fine equivalent to six months’ basic salary.
Contreras also dismissed rumors there is a warrant of arrest against him and that he is going to jail.
