After degamo dismissal; Macias sworn in as Negros Oriental governor, Villegas as vice governor

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines — Following the serving of the Ombudsman's order of dismissal on Governor Roel Degamo yesterday, the Department of Interior and Local Government-7 officially installed Doc Mark Macias as the new governor of Negros Oriental, and Marian Escaño Villegas as the new vice governor.

DILG-7 Regional Director Rene Burdeos, accompanied by DILG provincial officer Dennis Quiñones served the Ombudsman order yesterday morning outside the Degamo residence in Barangay Junob of Dumaguete, but the ousted governor was out of town at the time.

The guard on duty refused to receive the dismissal order, leaving Burdeos and company with no other recourse but to just place on a plastic chair the white envelope supposedly containing the Ombudsman’s dismissal order of Degamo.

Macias and Villegas — who took their respective posts in an acting capacity when Degamo was still under suspension—were then ordered by the DILG-7 to assume officially as governor and vice governor respectively, to avoid a vacuum.

Macias and Villegas took their respective oaths, by way of succession, before Regional Trial Court executive Judge Gerardo Paguio Jr. at noon time at the Hall of Justice in Barangay Piapi, Dumaguete City.

In an interview, Macias said there was nothing new with the order because he is already the sitting acting governor, their respective function is actually the same and that there’s no harm done. Now sworn in as governor, Macias said only the world “acting” was removed.

However, as a public official Macias said he is bound to obey orders but on whether Degamo is totally out of the picture, he said the then governor has legal remedies, a temporary restraining order (TRO) maybe.

Macias made it clear that in the event Degamo will be able to secure a TRO he will follow orders and will gladly step down but, for now, he had to sit as governor as ordered by the DILG-7.

He further clarified that the suspension order and the dismissal order are two different cases: the first will expire in January 16 or January 18 of next year, and the second will depend if a TRO is issued.

If a TRO is eventually issued for the dismissal order, the suspension order will still be enforced up to January 16 or 18, Macias was told by lawyers.

Degamo’s camp had earlier intimated they will immediately file an answer and a prayer for a TRO before the proper courts.

He earlier opined that the deputy Ombudsman may have axe to grind against him after he filed a complaint of selective justice against the latter before the Supreme Court. "This is becoming more personal than on the merits of the case," he said. (FREEMAN)