Ecija town vice mayor, 5 councilors suspended

BALER, Aurora, Philippines – Gov. Bellaflor Angara-Castillo has preventively suspended for 59 days the vice mayor and five councilors of San Luis town in connection with the conduct of an illegal session of the municipal council last November.

Slapped with suspension were San Luis Vice Mayor Teddy Macatiag and Councilors Francisco Maliwanag, Memelio Marzan, Norminda Querijero, Jason Martinez and Jennifer Marie Yngarte. The six officials are allies of Angara-Castillo’s former ally-turned-rival, San Luis Mayor Annabelle Tangson. 

Angara-Castillo handed down the suspension of the six on the recommendation of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan which investigated the verified complaint for abuse of authority, gross negligence and dereliction of duty filed on Jan. 9 against them by Councilors Oliver Jan Abordo, Tristan Eric Pimentel and Totong Wee.

In three separate memoranda, Angara-Castillo also designated Pimentel as acting vice mayor, ordered Department of the Interior and Local Government provincial director Renato Bernardino to serve the suspension order and for the suspended officials to cease and desist from further exercising their powers and performing the duties, functions and responsibilities of the office of the Sangguniang Bayan of San Luis.

The complaint against the six arose after they allegedly held a session and passed several pieces of legislation on Nov. 11, 2008 – a regular session day – despite the absence of a quorum.

Pimentel’s group alleged that the six went on with the session and passed the proposed 2009 municipal budget of San Luis although only five out of 10 councilors were present. Aside from Pimentel, Abordo and Wee, those who failed to attend the session were Councilors Eduardo Pabillo and Edwin Pineda.

The complainants said the fact that half of the councilors were not around manifested the “crystal-clear” lack of quorum as the vice mayor was not included in the determination of the quorum being the presiding officer.

Pimentel’s group noted that despite the warning of the SB secretary about the lack of quorum, the six respondents “capriciously transacted business and whimsically approved” resolutions, including the 2009 proposed budget and one authorizing Tangson to enter into and sign a memorandum of agreement between the municipal government and the Army.

On March 9, the respondents submitted their verified answer denying the material allegations in the complaint. The complainants filed a supplemental prayer on May 5 for the issuance of a preventive suspension order against the six.   

In recommending to Angara-Castillo the suspension of the six, the SP cited that inasmuch as the issues have been joined and after thorough evaluation and examination of documents and evidence presented, a preventive suspension must be imposed.