OLONGAPO CITY – A regional trial court on Tuesday (Aug. 7) issued a status quo order, which prevents the Department of the Interior and Local Government from serving the suspension order of Mayor Rolen Paulino and the city’s top government officials, including the vice mayor and most of the city councilors.
Judge Ralph Lee of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 83 issued the status quo order, Paulino announced to about 500 supporters who have been staging rallies in front of City Hall since Monday (Aug. 6) to protest the 6-month suspension imposed by the Office of the Ombudsman.
The Ombudsman had dismissed graft complaints filed against the officials for awarding the Olongapo City Civic Center, also known as the KBG Complex, to a mall developer.
But it suspended Paulino and the officials because they violated a bidding procedure and were guilty of “simple misconduct.”
The officials went to the court to stop the DILG from enforcing the Ombudsman order. In his August 7 order, Judge Lee gave them and the DILG “15 days from today within which to submit their respective memorandum in support of their respective arguments on the propriety of issuing a [temporary restraining order.”
“Our prayers were answered. No suspension order will be served for now,” Paulino said.