Bamban town councilor Erano Timbang (right) takes oath before Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. (left) as he assumes mayoralty post temporarily, replacing former mayor Alice Guo who was dismissed by Ombudsman over Philippine offshore gaming operator links. INQUIRER.net / John Eric Mendoza
MANILA, Philippines — The councilor who replaced dismissed Alice Guo took oath Wednesday as the acting mayor of Bamban town in Tarlac province.
Erano Timbang took his oath before Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. in Camp Crame in Quezon City.
The Philippine offshore gaming operator (Pogo) hub in Bamban was found to be backed by Guo, which led to the Office of the Ombudsman dismissing her as the town’s mayor.
READ: Alice Guo replaced by councilor as Tarlac town mayor
“Ako’y nalulungkot sa nangyari sa aming bayan na nakilala sa ganitong pamamaraan pero rest assured na ang trabaho ko bilang acting mayor ay gagawin ko,” Timbang said in an interview after the oath taking.
(I felt sad that our town became known this way, but rest assured that I will do my job as an acting mayor.)
Timbang was the next in succession as Bamban vice mayor Leonardo Anunciacion, who is supposed to replace the mayor, is also suspended by the Office of the Ombudsman for three months.
Likewise, nine of the municipal councilors of Bamban were also suspended by the Ombudsman for three months.
Timbang, the only councilor left in the town council, opposed the issuance of permit of Pogo in Bamban, according to Abalos.
“Sa simula pa lang po pagtuntong ko pa lang bilang independent, naramdaman ko na po hindi ako kaalyado talaga nila,” Timbang said.
(From the start, since I assumed the post as independent, I felt that I was not allied with them.)
“Na-outnumber ako lalo sa usaping legal na kahit na baluktok nagiging tama, yung baluktot, nagiging diretso,” he added.
(I was outnumbered, especially in legal matters. The twisted becomes right. The twisted becomes straight.)
Timbang said he ran as an independent candidate but got the highest number of votes.
The suspended vice mayor will assume the mayoralty post after three months.