MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang has temporarily lifted the suspension of Rodriguez Mayor Pedro Cuerpo.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita signed the order allowing Cuerpo to continue serving as mayor of Rodriguez town in Rizal province, pending the final resolution of the appeal he filed with the Office of the President (OP).

The Rizal provincial government suspended Cuerpo for six months for allegedly illegally raising taxes and fees for the use of Rodriguez’s landfills that serve as dumps for most of Metro Manila’s garbage.

After receiving a copy of the Malacañang order Friday, Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno, who has supervision over local officials, said they would immediately implement the directive.

“He (Cuerpo) will go back (to work). Within the day, the suspension would be lifted, so he goes back until the appeal is resolved by the OP,” Puno said.

Cuerpo had been holed up for almost a month inside his office at the town hall, thwarting attempts by Vice Mayor Jonas Cruz, as acting mayor, to move into the office.

On appeal

Puno said the Cuerpo case was on appeal at the OP. Officials of the province had 15 days to respond to the appeal; the mayor was given 15 days to comment on the officials’ position.

The interior secretary said President Macapagal-Arroyo had nothing to do with the stay order since it was signed by the executive secretary.

He added that Malacañang had to lift the suspension order so as not to render the appeal moot.

“The actual suspension is already running. We are in the penalty stage already, so if you appeal the penalty and you (let) the penalty (to keep) going, this will render any decision by the OP on the issue moot and academic,” he said.

Rizal Gov. Casimiro Ynares III said he had not yet seen the Malacañang order.

“I’m unaware of the basis for the move. I am sure Malacañang has its reasons,” Ynares said.

In a statement, Cuerpo said he felt vindicated by the Malacañang order. “The order underscores the rightfulness of our cause. The people of Rodriguez have spoken, which Malacañang heard and acted upon.”

Cuerpo thanked his supporters, who had camped outside the town hall during his 25-day stay in the building. He said he hoped the order would end the divisiveness in the town.

“The outpouring of support was nothing less than phenomenal. The decision of the Office of the President was reflective of the people’s will,” he said.

He asked his town mates to put the incident behind them.

Cuerpo stepped out of the building Friday morning to attend a hearing at the Sandiganbayan in Quezon City.

Reports from the Rizal public information office and Cuerpo’s camp said the mayor left the building around 8 a.m. to attend his arraignment in the antigraft court, where he is facing two criminal cases for an illegal demolition case and allegedly refusing to process applications for building permits.

Cuerpo has been holed up in the Rodriguez town hall since March 25 after he and his supporters stormed the building and overpowered the police.

He said he stayed in the office of the mayor to protest the provincial government’s suspension order that was extended from 60 days to six months, vowing not to leave the municipal hall until the Palace resolved his petition.

The Rizal provincial government said it would look for other options to resolve the issue. “We will consider our options after we study Malacañang’s basis for the lifting of the suspension,” Ynares said.