Pangasinan mayor returns to work after being suspended over anomalous nuptials

POZORRUBIO, PANGASINAN– This town’s mayor returned to work on Monday after serving a nine-month suspension over marriages he certified but did not officiate.

Mayor Artemio Chan’s suspension from August 25, 2017 to May 27, 2018 was enforced by the Office of the Ombudsman over two Certificates of Marriage which the mayor supposedly signed on days when he was absent from the town hall.

On Monday, Vice Mayor Artemio Go, the acting mayor, surrendered the office to Chan, who was originally dismissed on Aug. 2 last year for grave misconduct and serious dishonesty. Chan’s penalty was modified to suspension without pay for nine months and one day.

The Ombudsman also ruled that a casual employee, Daniel Sarmiento Jr, was administratively liable for the anomaly and was ordered suspended for nine months.

Over the same contested weddings, Chan said he and Sarmiento posted bail on May 25 for a criminal complaint filed with a Quezon City regional trial court.

Chan said they have yet to receive warrants issued by the court on April 16.

The original complaints were filed by Ly-Ar Punzalan and Andy dela Rosa who accused Sarmiento of acting as the mayor’s proxy when he officiated in two wedding ceremonies.

Chan said Sarmiento only oversaw the wedding preparations, saying the two weddings being questioned were not nullified.  /vvp