Mambaling residents told: Don’t get clearances from Abellana

CEBU, Philippines — Acting Mambaling barangay captain Anne Marie Vestil Palomo reminded her constituents to secure clearances and other documents only from her office and not from the suspended chief to avoid inconvenience.

Palomo issued the statement after suspended barangay captain Gines Abellana allegedly continued to sign documents and clearances.

“Naa’y sige og papirma, pirma sad siya. Unya ibalik sa business permit section, moanhi tawn ang mga negosyante moreklamo. Naay uban mosulong sa barangay hall, moingon nga dili madawat na ang iyahang pirma (There are still people who asked him to sign and he also signs, but the business permit section does not accept it, so the businessmen will come here and complain. There are also those who storm the barangay hall and complain that his signature is no longer accepted),” she told The FREEMAN.

Palomo said that Abellana’s refusal to heed the suspension order is causing confusion among the people in the barangay. Although majority of the residents are already aware of the suspension, Palomo said there are still people who are confused of Abellana;s continued presence in the barangay hall.

In February, the City Legal Office issued an opinion citing Section 61 (c) of Republic Act No. 7160 or the Local Government Code (LGC) which provides that “A complaint against any elective barangay official shall be filed before the Sangguniang Panlungsod or Sangguniang Bayan concerned whose decision shall be final and executory.”

Palomo said she is compiling all the documents signed by Abellana to use it as evidence in an administrative complaint against the latter.

She said her lawyers are filing on Thursday a complaint for usurpation of authority, graft and corruption, among others against Abellana.

The City Council suspended Abellana two months ago after he was found guilty of the administrative complaint for abuse of authority because of his refusal to release Palomo and three other councilmen’s honoraria from July to December 2018. (FREEMAN)