Echiverri camp hits ‘haste’ in implementing suspension order

A member of Caloocan Mayor Enrico Echiverri’s legal team is optimistic that the extended temporary restraining order (TRO) a local court issued would lead to a preliminary injunction stopping the Department of the Interior and Local Government from implementing a suspension order against the local chief executive and three other city officials for an indefinite period.

Mei Go, a lawyer with the team, however, told the Inquirer that they would abide by the decision of the Court of Appeals (CA) on the motion for reconsideration Echiverri’s camp filed on January 6 before the 17-day extension of the three-day TRO lapses on January 29.

During the 17-day reprieve, the court has scheduled hearings to determine whether or not to issue a preliminary injunction.

“We are not assailing the CA. All we are saying is, why is there such a haste to implement the suspension order? We still have a pending motion for reconsideration at the CA,” Go said.

Erice had filed a complaint against Echiverri, city treasurer Evelina Garma, budget officer Jesusa Garcia and city accountant Edna Centeno in the Office of the Ombudsman in July, accusing them of not remitting more than P340 million as contributions of city hall employees to the Government Service Insurance System.

Executive Judge Eleanor Kwong, of Regional Trial Court Branch 128, issued the TRO on January 9 to prevent clashes between supporters of the mayor and Vice Mayor Edgar Erice, who had set up barricades around city hall.

Although the accused managed to obtain temporary relief from the CA in August of last year, the appellate court on January 2 ruled that the antigraft body did not commit grave abuse of discretion when it ordered the suspension.

Hours before the TRO was supposed to lapse on Thursday, Judge Dionisio Sison of RTC Branch 125 granted the mayor’s request for an extension.