Councilor named Samar town acting mayor

MANILA, Philippines — Councilor Vicky Mabulay was named acting mayor of San Sebastian town in Samar yesterday.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año designated Mabulay as officer-in-charge after both the mayor and vice mayor were prevented from asuming the post.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) appointed Vice Mayor Euleterio Mabao as acting mayor after Mayor Arnold Abalos was dismissed by the Office of the Ombudsman last July.

Abalos was found guilty of not remitting over P7 million in municipal employees’ contribution to the Government Service Insurance System in 2013.

However, the Catabalogan City Regional Trial Court Branch 27 issued a writ of preliminary injunction on Oct. 7 and ordered Mabao to vacate the post.

The court said Abalos should continue to discharge his duties as the town’s local chief executive.

“Due to existing impediments of Mayor Abalos and Vice Mayor Mabao, the department is constrained to follow the law on succession and recognize the ranking councilor as acting mayor,” Año said in a statement.

He assured the public that the DILG is not a party to the petition for quo warranto, which Abalos filed.