The Office of the Ombudsman ordered Friday the filing of disobedience charges against a president of a state university in Mindanao for his continued refusal to reinstate a director despite orders from the Civil Service Commission (CSC).

Ordered charged before the Sandiganbayan for violation of Article 231 of the Revised Penal Code was Camar A. Umpa, president of the Mindanao State University (MSU).

In a three-page information sheet, Acting Ombudsman Orlando Casimiro said anti-graft investigators found probable cause against Umpa for allegedly committing the crime and asked for a proper trial.

Records showed that the incident happened on July 19, 2001 and up to the present in Marawi City, Lanao Del Sur when Umpa committed the violation refusing to reinstate Zenaida Pangandaman-Gania.

“Umpa, being the President of Mindanao State University with salary grade 30, committing the offense in relation to office, while in the performance of his duties and taking advantage of his position, did then and there willfully, unlawfully and feloniously, without any legal justification, openly refuse and continue to refuse to execute the resolutions of the CSC directing the reinstatement of Gania as director II of the MSU-Manila Information and Liaison Officer," Casimiro stressed.

Assistant Special Prosecutor Pamela A. Baringan-Uy recommended a bail of P6,000 for Umpa's temporary liberty.

The anti-graft body also placed Umpa under 6-month preventive suspension.

The Ombudsman based its ruling on the CSC resolution, directing the MSU to reinstate Pangandaman-Gania as Director of the MSU-MIO immediately, following a favorable ruling from the Supreme Court, but respondent still refused to reinstate the complainant to her position.