Cebu City councilor Cuenco ordered dismissed

CEBU CITY — The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the dismissal of Cebu City Councilor James Anthony Cuenco and a former congressional staff member for serious dishonesty and grave misconduct due to alleged irregularities in the program funded by the pork barrel of his father.

According to the Department of the Interior and Local Government-Cebu City director Emma Joyevelyn Calvo, the dismissal order against Councilor Cuenco was served in his office on Tuesday afternoon.

But Cuenco plans to contest the order before the Court of Appeals.

“I will just wait until we have filed our appeal before the CA. I will just leave it to my lawyers to speak for me at this time,” he said in a text message on Wednesday when sought for comment.

Also ordered dismissed was Manuel Tigpos, one of the staff members of former Rep. Antonio Cuenco of Cebu City south district.

The decision, which was made public on Wednesday morning, stemmed from alleged irregularities in the implementation of the Tony N’ Tommy Health Program funded by the Priority Development Assistance Fund of the former congressman, father of Councilor Cuenco.

Councilor Cuenco was the chief of staff of his father.

Copies of the order were also given to Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña and Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella. /je