Ombudsman sacks Iloilo mayor, vice mayor over land deal

By Joseph Bernard A. Marzan

Zarraga, Iloilo Mayor Jofel Soldevilla and Vice Mayor Michael Omar Lacson were dismissed from service by the Office of the Ombudsman over a PHP 11.6 million land deal that also led to criminal graft charges.

In a 22-page decision approved by then-Ombudsman Samuel Martires on September 12, 2025, Soldevilla and Lacson were found guilty of grave misconduct for entering into a contract to sell a 6,585-square-meter property registered under Lacson’s late father.

The case, filed by then-councilor Andre Bon Sumagaysay, also produced a resolution approved by Martires on September 17 indicting Soldevilla and Lacson for violating Republic Act 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Like the resolution, the decision cited the lack of proper authority for Soldevilla to enter into a contract of sale, the fact that she signed a contract to sell instead, and that the contract price exceeded the PHP 5,000,000 allocation in the town’s 2023 annual budget.

It also cited Lacson’s conflicts of interest as chair of the Sangguniang Bayan Committee on Housing and Land Use and as an appointee to the Ad Hoc Appraisal Committee, which identifies properties for housing projects under the Local Shelter Plan.

“The acts/omissions of respondents Soldevilla and Lacson of entering into a Contract to Sell (1) without prior authorization from the concerned sanggunian, law or ordinance; (2) the consideration of which exceeded the appropriated amount; (3) the subject of which involved a property not yet lawfully transferred to respondent Lacson; (4) without regard and unperturbed by the potential conflict of interest that may arise from the transaction clearly demonstrate corrupt and depraved motives, willful intent to violate the law and blatant disregard of established rules which are constitutive of Grave Misconduct,” the decision stated.

Sangguniang Bayan members Jose Jeffren Millan, Rolando Papa, Nelida Octaviano and Mark Andrian Sulolayon, and Municipal Accountant Era Lerdon, Municipal Budget Officer Glezil Mae Lozañes and Municipal Treasurer Leonora Pauya were found guilty of simple misconduct.

The resolution said Millan, Papa, Octaviano and Sulolayon passed the resolution authorizing Soldevilla to enter into a contract of sale without the required majority.

“While the session on March 22, 2023 was authorized there being a quorum, i.e. six members including the Presiding Officer were present, however, the required majority vote of six out of eleven members of the SB to uphold a resolution was not obtained,” the Ombudsman’s resolution stated.

“Under the circumstances, respondents SB members should have not proceeded with the passage of the resolution, especially so that the subject matter thereof pertains to a possible disbursement of funds,” it added.

As to Lerdon, Lozañes and Pauya, the finding was based on their failure to provide Sumagaysay with documents on the transaction despite written requests.

“Lerdon, Lozañes and Pauya may have failed to furnish [Sumagaysay] with the documents he requested, however, records show that they replied to his written requests informing him that the requested documents are in the possession of respondent Soldevilla,” the resolution said.

The seven co-respondents were meted a six-month suspension without pay, while in the case of Papa, who lost reelection in 2025, the suspension was converted to a fine equivalent to his basic salary for six months.