Surigao vice mayor suspended

MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the suspension of a town vice mayor in Surigao del Norte for a month and a city treasurer of  Zamboanga del Norte for one year for neglect of duty. 

In decisions recently signed by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, the Department of the Interior and Local Government was directed to implement the suspension order on Ramon Mondano of Mainit, Surigao del Norte and Medelun Pacatang, treasurer of Dapitan.

The ombudsman said Mondano issued a permit when he was mayor allowing cockfighting in Purok Masaya, Barangay Matin-ao from June 20 to 22, 2016 without a barangay clearance as required under the Local Government Code.

“Although the issuance of special permits for special cockfighting…is within his authority as municipal mayor, he is duty-bound to require the presentation of a barangay clearance…before issuing a special permit to Purok Masaya,” the court said.

Meanwhile, Pacatang allegedly refused to release the salaries of two city government employees based on her “misguided” interpretation of the Civil Service Law.

Pacatang was also found guilty of gross insubordination for refusing to attend the flag-raising ceremony and wear the prescribed office uniform. She also did not comply with the mayor’s directive to use the biometrics time recording system to monitor her attendance.