‘Bar Magpale’s use of governor’s office’

LAWYERS of  suspended Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia called on  Capitol security and top police officials to  bar acting Gov. Agnes Magpale from transferring to the  Governor’s Office in the east wing.

“Demand is hereby made on you to prevent any person other than the duly elected Governor from holding office at the office of the Governor,” said the Jan. 31 written notice issued by  lawyers Tranquil Salvador III and Garcia’s daughter Christina Codilla-Frasco.

The notice was addressed to Chief Supt. Marcelo Garbo,  Provincial Administrator Eduardo Habin, Civil Security Unit (CSU) chief Valentino Cruz and Supt. Leopoldo Cabanag, chief of the police’s Regional Public Safety Battalion.

The lawyers said  padlocking  the governor’s office  last Jan. 30 was illegal and undertaken with “force” by Capitol personnel with police assistance  after Garcia left to visit Oslob town residents.

“The padlocking (was done) while members of Governor Garcia’s staff were still inside the office…electricity and water were cut off and even the restrooms were boarded up,” the letter said.

They said that since a case is pending with  the Court of Appeals challenging Garcia’s suspension,  the padlocking “pre-empts the court’s decision on the case” and violates her “right to due process”.

They said Garcia is entitled to hold office there and “No other person other than the duly elected governor should be allowed to hold office.”

They warned that legal action  would  be taken against the officials who ignore their demand.

Acting Gov. Agnes Magpale order to seal  the Governor’s Office was carried out after she found out that Garcia had left for an out-of-town sortie.

Magpale said Garcia’s action was “already too much” and that this made a “mockery” of the six-month suspension order of President Aquino.

On earlier occasions, Magpale and the police made no move to stop Garcia when she stepped out to the front steps of the Capitol to join supporters in two  demonstrations and last Jan. 20 to dance in the Sinulog parade finale at the Cebu City sports center, saying this was part of the exercise of “maximum tolerance.”

Magpale said she plans to occupy the governor’s office in the Capitol’s east wing and bring her own employees with her after agreeing on a  swap of Garcia’s confidential employees with that of acting Vice Gov. Julian Daan, an ally of Garcia.

Magpale issued a memorandum to all eight of Garcia’s employees to report to her office last Thursday.