Echiverri mum on next moves

Caloocan Mayor Enrico Echiverri has so far kept mum on his plans with a day left before the Department of Interior and Local Government serves the suspension order against him and three other city officials.

Leuterio Nicolas, officer in charge of the public information office, told the Inquirer over the phone that Echiverri had not discussed his next move, saying that he had not yet received a copy of the suspension order itself.

The DILG is scheduled to serve the order on Monday.

“What I know is he is waiting for (the suspension order) so he can react accordingly,” Nicolas said.

Asked if Echiverri would obey the order, Nicolas said he couldn’t react as of yet because it had not been served in the first place.

“Let’s wait until Monday,” he told the Inquirer.

Last week, the appellate court upheld the decision of the Ombudsman in July, which ordered the six-month suspension of Echiverri, city treasurer Evelina Garma, budget officer Jesusa Garcia and city accountant Edna Centeno for nonremittance of more than P340 million in city hall employees’ contributions to the Government Service Insurance System.

The decision stemmed from a complaint filed by Vice Mayor Edgar Erice on July 7.

Echiverri and his camp managed to obtain temporary relief from the appellate court, but on Jan. 2, the CA finally ruled that the antigraft body did not commit grave abuse of discretion when it issued the suspension order.

Meanwhile, the city hall grounds remained peaceful after the barricades set up by some 200 residents to show their support for the mayor on Friday were removed later that day.