Palawan mayoral row drags on

Lucilo Bayron

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY—The Office of the Ombudsman has reversed its decision clearing Puerto Princesa City Mayor Lucilo Bayron of grave misconduct and serious dishonesty charges, paving the way for the latter’s dismissal from office for a second time in his current term.

In a 10-page ruling obtained by the Inquirer from sources at City Hall, the Ombudsman reversed its decision issued on June 23, which allowed Bayron’s reinstatement as mayor by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

The latest decision, penned by Assistant Ombudsman Jennifer Jardin-Manalili, was approved by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales on July 11. The ruling is expected to be forwarded to the DILG for implementation.

The ruling was a resolution of the motion for reconsideration filed by complainant Aldrin Madreo after the Ombudsman allowed Bayron’s reinstatement.

Bayron was first dismissed by the Ombudsman in December last year after finding him and his son, Karl, guilty of “serious dishonesty” for failing to declare their kinship in the employment contract of the young Bayron at City Hall.

In its latest decision, the Ombudsman upheld Madreo’s assertion that it had no more jurisdiction over Bayron’s case when it ruled in his favor. The Ombudsman noted that Bayron abandoned his appeal in favor of seeking a temporary restraining order (TRO) and a reversal ruling from the Court of Appeals (CA).

“This office finds that it had lost jurisdiction over the administrative case against respondent Lucilo [Bayron] upon the abandonment of his motion for reconsideration before this office and the perfection on [Feb. 2] of his appeal with the CA,” the ruling stated.

The same ruling said its previous decision downgrading Bayron’s liability to “simple dishonesty” and reducing its penalty from permanent disqualification to a three-month suspension was “vacated and set aside for having been rendered without jurisdiction.”

At City Hall, officials said they were awaiting instructions from the DILG regarding the turnover of Bayron’s post to Vice Mayor Luis Marcaida III.

Marcaida assumed the mayor’s post when Bayron was dismissed in January. Marcaida served as mayor for four months before the Ombudsman reversed its decision in June.

Rey Maranan, city DILG director, said his office had yet to receive a copy of the Ombudsman’s latest ruling or any directive from the DILG central office ousting Bayron.

Marcaida, who had severed his political ties with Bayron, had engaged Bayron supporters in a word war following reports of the Ombudsman’s decision.

He told reporters on Wednesday that he would undertake a “major revamp” of senior positions at City Hall once he reassumed the post.

Richard Ligad, city information officer and Bayron’s spokesperson, said the mayor would abide by the Ombudsman’s ruling.

“We are governed by the DILG and we will follow whatever their instructions are,” Ligad said.