Board suspends mayor for involvement in mining

CITY OF MALOLOS—The provincial board suspended for six months the mayor of Donya Remedios Trinidad for conflict of interest and abuse of power when his family’s trucking and hauling business was proven to be involved in the transport of iron ore mined in his town.

The board also found that Mayor Rolando Flores tapped some employees of the town and used local government resources in his business.

But Flores blamed politics as a motive for his suspension, saying someone powerful in Bulacan was behind the move. He did not name that person.

“This is like Chief Justice Renato Corona’s impeachment. In his case, Malacañang is behind the move while in my case, there’s a politician maneuvering to remove me from office,” he said.

Flores earlier said he had resigned as operations manager of the family-owned Sky Trac Trucking and Marron Mineral Carriers Inc. (MMCI), when he was elected mayor in 2010.

On Tuesday, the provincial board, voting 6-3, suspended Flores. Four board members were absent during the session.

The suspension suspension stemmed from a complaint filed against Flores by Roberto Sembrano, a Donya Remedios Trinidad resident, on Nov. 4 last year. Sembrano said Flores violated the provisions of the local government code and the code of conduct and ethical standards for public officials and employees.

Sembrano said Flores was engaged in illegal mining by extracting, stockpiling and transporting iron ore in Barangay Camachin and using some employees and resources of the town government in the activity. Carmela Reyes-Estrope, Inquirer Central Luzon