A GROUP of concerned citizens from Dipaculao, Aurora, late last week filed an administrative complaint before the Ombudsman against the town’s vice mayor for alleged illegal logging, and asked for his dismissal from public service, as well as being banned from taking future government posts.

In a two-page complaint, the group accused Vice Mayor Narciso Amansec of allegedly engaging in illegal-logging operations in Aurora in 2007.

The group used the affidavit of a certain Roderick Tangalin executed on January 14, 2008, as the basis of its complaint.

“On the basis of the supporting documents, the penalties of dismissal from service, perpetual disqualification from reemployment in the government service, cancellation of eligibility and bar from taking Civil Service Examination [should] be imposed on Vice Mayor Amansec,” the petitioners said.

Tangalin claimed in the affidavit that Amansec was the owner of 10,380 board feet of lumber valued at P2,354,638 that was intercepted by Dipaculao policemen on November 13, 2007.

In a resolution dated August 11, 2008, Amansec and other persons were charged by the Provincial Prosecutor of Aurora before the Regional Trial Court (RTC) in Baler, Aurora, of violation of Presidential Decree 705 or the Revised Forestry Code.

Amansec was arrested on the strength of a warrant issued by Judge Armando Yanga of Branch 66 of the RTC in Baler.

He is presently detained at the Aurora Provincial Jail.

Amansec’s alleged illegal-logging operations constitute grave misconduct, the complainants said.

The Supreme Court defined misconduct as “a transgression of some established and definite rule of action, more particularly, unlawful behavior or gross negligence by a public officer.”

“As differentiated from simple misconduct, in grave misconduct the elements of corruption, clear intent to violate the law or flagrant disregard of establishment rule, must be manifest,” the petitioners said.

“Amansec’s illegal-logging operations also constitute conduct prejudicial to the best interest of public service,” the petitioners added.