Suspension of vice mayor, dads beats poll ban

ALIAGA, Nueva Ecija—Gov. Aurelio Umali suspended this town’s vice mayor and five councilors for 30 days on Jan. 9, a day before the election ban on administrative suspensions took effect.

Umali announced the suspension of Vice Mayor Alfredo Domingo and Councilors Cesar Cajucom, Ruth Macalinao, Juanito Martin, Juanita de Leon and Edgardo Soledad in an order posted at the municipal council hall.

The Omnibus Election Code (Batas Pambansa No. 881) prohibits the suspension or transfer of government officials and employees during the election period, which began on Jan. 10 for the May elections.

Umali’s order cited a Sangguniang Panlalawigan resolution issued on Dec. 14, 2015, which addressed the administrative complaint filed by Mayor Elizabeth Vargas against her fellow officials.

2016 budget

Vargas accused Domingo and the councilors of committing grave misconduct and conduct unbecoming of public officers over their alleged failure to act on measures required by her administration.

She complained about the delay in the approval of the proposed P124-million municipal budget for 2016 as well as the release of P15 million for projects listed through the bottom-up budgeting process.

But Domingo and the councilors reported for work on Monday and met for their regular session.

“We were not served any copy of the suspension order and we are entitled to five days to respond to that order,” Domingo said.

He said posting the suspension order on the town hall’s bulletin board was improper because no one was around to read it on a Saturday.

According to Domingo, the budget for 2016 is still being reviewed because the mayor’s office failed to provide details about proposed projects.

The suspension order leaves only four active councilors. Armand Galang, Inquirer Central Luzon