CA stops suspension of Nueva Vizcaya vice mayor, Philip Dacayo

SOLANO, Nueva Vizcaya — The Court of Appeals (CA) has reversed an Ombudsman order suspending this town’s former mayor who now sits as the vice mayor.

In a Jan. 29 decision received here last week, the appeals court said the alleged acts of misconduct committed by Vice Mayor Philip Dacayo during his term as mayor had been voided by his subsequent election.

“Given the factual milieu of this case and the prevailing jurisprudence, [the CA] holds the undisputed and subsequent election of [Dacayo] in 2016 as vice mayor … is a condonation of his administrative liability,” the CA said.

The case stemmed from a complaint filed in 2015 by village chief Pedro Algeria Sr. for Dacayo’s alleged failure to seek the approval of the local council for his trips abroad that he took when he was mayor from November 2013 to April 2015.

In its ruling, the Ombudsman imposed a one-month suspension against Dacayo. He elevated the case to the CA. —Melvin Gascon