Protests held over suspension of Olongapo execs

DEMOCRACY’S WAKE Supporters of Olongapo Mayor Rolen Paulino display caskets to symbolize the death of democracy as they protest the suspension of the mayor and other city officials. —PHOTOS BY ALLAN MACATUNO

OLONGAPO CITY—About 500 people protested the suspension of Mayor Rolen Paulino and the rest of Olongapo’s top officials over a commercial complex deal, through rallies staged outside the City Hall here at the start of the week.

On Monday, three coffins were displayed in front of City Hall bearing a sign that said “Death of Democracy in Olongapo,” to denounce the six-month suspension order issued in July by the Office of the Ombudsman. But Paulino asked the protesters to take away the coffins.

On Tuesday, the protesters returned and set up a metal fence to form a barricade.

Paulino’s supporters were expecting the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to suspend him, Vice Mayor Aquilino Cortez and Councilors Benjamin Cajudo II, Edgardo Guerrero, Noel Atienza, Alruela Bundang-Ortiz, Edna Elane, Linus Bacay, Randy Sionzon and Egmidio Gonzales Jr.

Simple misconduct

The Ombudsman ruled that they were guilty of “simple misconduct” for violating a bidding procedure when they awarded the Olongapo City Civic Center, also known as the KBG Complex, to a mall developer.

The Ombudsman also suspended former Councilor Ellen Calma Dabu and the incumbent members of the special bids and awards committee led by Tony-Kar Balde III, as well as heads of offices Cristiflor Buduhan (city planning), Anna Marin Sison (accounting), Mamerto Malabute (legal and administration) and Joy Cahilig (budget).

Trouble

On Tuesday, the barricade was dismantled after a Quezon City court granted the officials a status quo order that prevented DILG from enforcing the Ombudsman’s ruling.

In his order, Judge Ralph Lee of Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 83 gave the Olongapo officials and the DILG “15 days from today (Aug. 7) within which to submit their respective memorandum in support of their respective arguments on the propriety of issuing a [temporary restraining order].”

Speaking at the flag ceremony on Monday, Paulino said influential people “who are supposedly helping us are the ones causing us trouble.” But he did not name them.

However, Sen. Richard Gordon was one of the people who filed a graft complaint against the city officials over the KGB complex deal. He and his younger brother, James “Bong” Gordon Jr., were former Olongapo mayors.

The Ombudsman ruling addressed the graft complaint filed by Rodalyn Guinto Hanif. The Ombudsman dismissed the complaint against the officials but concluded that they “failed to ensure compliance with the proper procedure required by law in the award … of the long-term lease over the KBG complex.” —JOANNA AGLIBOT AND ALLAN MACATUNO