Bacolod village chief gets another 6-month suspension
BACOLOD CITY — A barangay captain in this city was ordered suspended for six months, his second suspension in less than a year, this time for incurring five unjustified absences during their sessions.
The Bacolod City council’s committee on laws, ordinances and good government, in a decision on Aug. 2, suspended Joseph delos Santos, the village chief of Barangay 16, for gross neglect of duty and a violation of the Local Government Code of 1991.
“To be held liable for gross negligence, a public official must have intentionally shirked his duty, fully aware that he is duty-bound to perform. Simply, gross negligence involves consciously avoiding to do one’s work,” the city council’s order read.
“Delos Santos is duty-bound to attend the regular sessions of the Sangguniang Barangay being a public officer, which he blatantly disregarded,” it added.
In December 2022, the city council had ordered the six-month suspension of Delos Santos and village treasurer Rachel Jamandre for grave abuse of authority, grave misconduct, serious dishonesty and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.
Delos Santos was cited for the unreasonable delay in the release of the honoraria, salaries and other benefits of the village council members in 2021 and 2022, and for falsifying the approved annual budget of the barangay.
Delos Reyes, who had just completed his first round of suspension, would have to serve his new suspension upon the release of the order.
Bacolod Councilor Al Victor Espino said on Thursday that the suspension of Delos Santos was “effective immediately.”
Sought for comment, Delos Santos said on Friday that he would issue a statement once he has consulted a lawyer.
The administrative complaint stemmed from a case filed by Barangay 16 Councilmen Stella de la Peña, Franz Familiaran, Jude Bryan Alson, Cristina Ligaya, Jie Rodolfo Madrigal, Ermelo Alintano and Winsie Jesson Billones over the village chief’s absences.
Delos Santos, who got the second highest number of votes in Barangay 16, took over the village chief post from Erwin Arela, who died of cardiac arrest in 2019. Arela was the top councilman who replaced then barangay captain Nelson Ligaya Jr., who was shot dead in December 2018.
