Palace appoints council replacements in Pasay

Malacañang appointed yesterday temporary Pasay City Council members to replace those suspended by the Office of the Ombudsman for six months for grave misconduct.

Appointed were Johnny Santiago, Reynaldo Mateo, Mary Grace BustoneraSantos, Emilio Arturo Langomez, Regulus Mary Lim, Erlinda San Jose Hilario.

They will replace Lexter Ibay, Richard Advincula, Jose Antonio Roxas, Arnel Regino Arceo, Allan Panaligan and Marie Irish Pineda, respectively.

The councilors were ordered suspended by the Ombudsman, along with Pasay City Mayor Wenceslao Trininad and Vice Mayor Antonio Calixto for allegedly circumventing the laws on public bidding in the awarding of service contracts for garbage collection and disposal.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the Office of the President is given the authority by the law to appoint officersincharge and temporary Council members in local governments.

He said the six were named after the needed requirements were met and processes followed.

Ermita said the Palace was simply enforcing the law on disciplining local governments without looking into the leaders’ political affiliations. – With Paolo Romero