Pasay prosecutor replaced by DOJ

Justice Secretary Artemio Tuquero has temporarily replaced the Pasay City Prosecutor after his brother was accused of campaigning for a candidate in the April 15 recall elections.

Tuquero designated Senior State Prosecutor Romeo Dañosos as officer-in-charge of the City Prosecution Office of Pasay City for the duration of the recall election period, replacing City Prosecutor Francisco Beron, who is on official leave of absence.

A brother of Beron, Victor, was accused of actively campaigning for incumbent Mayor Jovito Claudio. Victor is reportedly the senior clerk of Claudio.

Four candidates are vying for the mayoralty position. They are incumbent Claudio, Ricardo "Ding" Santos, Wenceslao "Peewee" Trinidad, and Romulo Marcelo.

Toquero's order, contained in department order no. 112 of the Department of Justice dated April 3, 2000, was made upon request of Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Harriet Demetriou.

Beron shall be reinstated after the recall elections.

"To avoid any suspicion of bias or partisanship, it is best that City Prosecutor Beron's temporary replacement should not come from the roster of Pasay City's prosecutors but from another city or from the central office of the Department of Justice," said Demetriou said in her lettter to Tuquero last April 3.

"Such designation or temporary replacement shall last until the City Board of Canvassers shall have duly proclaimed the winner in the mayoralty recall elections," she said. The City Prosecutor of Pasay is also vice chairman of the City Board of Canvassers.