Antique Gov. Exequiel Javier. Photo from lpp.gov.ph
ILOILO CITY, Philippines—Antique Gov. Exequiel Javier on Friday preempted his possible arrest and posted a P12,000 bail hours after he was charged with an election offense for suspending a mayor during the campaign period.
Javier, accompanied by his legal counsel, Guillermo Alcantara, voluntary submitted himself to Executive Judge Danilo Galvez of the Iloilo Regional Trial Court (RTC) in Iloilo City at 3 p.m.
“I’m ready to face trial,” Javier said in a phone interview after he posted bail.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) filed the charge against Javier at past
11 a.m. on Friday at the San Jose, Antique RTC for the violation of Section 261 of the Omnibus Election Code.
The provision prohibits the suspension of any elective official during the election period without the approval of the Comelec or 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 Mayor Mary Joyce Roquero of Valderrama town in Antique for 30 days in relation to an administrative case filed by then Valderrama Vice Mayor Christopher Maguad.
The governor enforced a resolution of the provincial board that meted out the suspension of Roquero.
Maguad, an ally of Javier, 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 away from churches and other public buildings.
But Roquero disputed the allegations, saying the ordinance did not take effect because it was not published in a newspaper of general circulation, as required by law.