MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the President has finally issued the dismissal order on Public Works director for Administrative and Manpower Management Services Burt Favorito and Bureau of Equipment Director Florendo Arias –10 months after the Office of the Ombudsman ordered their immediate dismissal.

Favorito and Arias have been found by the anti-graft agency to have colluded in pillaging the DPWH of P4.3 million through ghost repairs of DPWH service vehicles.

In a Feb. 3 order signed by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr., the two erring DPWH executives were found “guilty of serious dishonesty” and imposed “with all the accessory penalties.”

They were ordered “dismissed from service effective immediately.”

In a decision dated April 15 last year, the Ombudsman, then led by Merceditas Gutierrez, indicted Favorito, Arias and other DPWH officials for the ghost repair of some 192 vehicles.

The respondents allegedly committed fraud by falsifying various documents like inspection reports, official receipts, and job order requests.

The Ombudsman ordered DPWH chief Rogelio Singson to immediately implement the dismissal five days from receipt.

However, for some reason, Singson stayed the dismissal order. This allowed the respondents to continue reporting for work.