She’s supposed to return to the Capitol on June 19, but one of suspended Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia’s critics wants her to sit out the rest of her term with another suspension.
“We are filing a motion for immediate issuance of preventive suspension so it will prevent her from sitting as governor for the 11 remaining days of her term,” said businessman Crisologo Saavedra.
Saavedra, one of three complainants in the Balili land purchase case filed against Governor Garcia, said the suspension order may even carry over into the first six months of her term as representative of Cebu’s 3rd district.
He said the motion would be filed before the first hearing of the Balili case in the Sandiganbayan on June 24.
Garcia was suspended for six months since Dec. 19, 2012 as a penalty for grave abuse of authority in her dealing with the late vice governor Greg Sanchez Jr.
Saavedra said the suspension order they will petition for will focus on the criminal aspect of the Balili case which would render the Aguinaldo doctrine inapplicable.
The Aguinaldo doctrine renders moot all administrative cases filed against a public official during his or her previous term, immediately after the official’s reelection.
The rationale is that an erring public official has been forgiven by his or her constituents of his/her administrative liabilities by virtue of being re-elected.
Garcia’s lawyer Tranquil Salvador III said Saavedra’s petition is pointless.
“She (Garcia) won as congresswoman and was given a fresh mandate by the people of Cebu,” he said. UP Cebu Intern Apple Ta-as