Antique Gov. Exequiel Javier. Photo from lpp.gov.ph
ILOILO CITY—Antique Gov. Exequiel Javier posted bail of P12,000 after being charged with an election offense related to his suspension of a municipal mayor.
Javier, accompanied by his legal counsel Guillermo Alcantara, voluntary submitted himself to Executive Judge Danilo Galvez of the Iloilo Regional Trial Court in Iloilo City at about 3 p.m.
“I am ready to face trial. I believe we have a strong case,” Javier, himself a lawyer, told the Inquirer in a telephone interview Friday night.
The governor said he decided to post bail in Iloilo City rather than in Antique upon the advice of Alcantara.
“We discussed his case here (Iloilo City) and we decided to post bail immediately so we can focus on the case,” Alcantara said in a separate interview.
The Commission on Elections had earlier charged Javier in the Regional Trial Court in San Jose, Antique, with violation of Section 261 of the Omnibus Election Code. The provision prohibits the suspension of any elective official during the election period without the prior approval of the Comelec unless the suspension is related to graft and corruption.
The election period for the May 2013 elections started on Jan. 13 and ended on June 12.
On Jan. 23, Javier suspended Roquero for 30 days in relation to an administrative case filed by then Vice Mayor Christopher Maguad of Valderrama.
The governor enforced a resolution of the provincial board that meted out the suspension on Roquero.
Maguad, an ally of Javier, had filed an administrative case against Roquero for allegedly failing to implement a municipal zoning ordinance banning the construction of gasoline and water refilling stations less than 100 meters from churches and other public buildings.
But Roquero disputed the allegations, saying that the municipal ordinance did not take effect because it was not published in a newspaper of general circulation as required by law.
Roquero was re-elected in the May elections, defeating Maguad.
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Comelec indicts Antique governor for suspension of mayor