Davao del Sur town mayor suspended

DIGOS CITY, Philippines — Bansalan Mayor Quirina Sarte refused to step down last week to serve a six-month suspension order for grave misconduct after she allegedly allowed a sports club to use the municipal gymnasium for free.

In its March 11 resolution, the Office of the Ombudsman suspended Sarte for violating Republic Act No. 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

But when the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Davao del Sur served Sarte’s suspension order on April 11, the mayor questioned the agency’s authority to enforce suspension orders during the election period.

The DILG installed Vice Mayor Edwin Reyes as acting mayor.

Sarte and Reyes are rivals for the town’s mayoral post in the May 13 elections.

Reyes is running under Hugpong ng Pagbabago while Sarte, a reelectionist, is the candidate of administration party Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan.