Antiporda suspended over NIA employee complaints, calls allegations ‘petty’

The Office of the Ombudsman placed National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Administrator Benny Antiporda under preventive suspension for six months following the administrative complaints filed by several NIA employees against him.

In a five-page order, Ombudsman Samuel Martires ordered the suspension after NIA employees Lloyd Allain Cudal and Michelle Gonzales Raymundo lodged complaints against Antiporda for allegedly committing conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, grave misconduct, harassment, oppression, and ignorance of the law.

“After a careful evaluation of the records, this Office finds that among the respondents, Respondent Benny Antiporda’s guilt is strong and that the case against him involves Grave Misconduct, Conduct Prejudicial to the Best Interest of the Service, and Oppression, which may warrant his removal from the service,” the order reads.

For his part, Antiporda told GMA News Online the accusations were “baseless” and merely “petty allegations.” He confirmed receipt of the order and said he would comply with it.

“If this is what it pays on my fight against corruption, so be it. Looking forward that in the near future, I’ll clear my name. Now, these are petty allegations compared to the hundreds of millions that we’re running after,” said Antiporda. — DVM, GMA Integrated News