Suspended La Union mayor reinstated

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — The mayor of San Fernando City in La Union returned to work yesterday after serving his suspension for six months.

Hermenegildo Gualberto reassumed his post after the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) issued a memorandum that he can regain his post, citing a Sept. 7 Court of Appeals (CA) ruling.

The CA rejected an order of the Office of the Ombudsman to dismiss Gualberto.

The ombudsman ordered Gualberto’s dismissal in January and suspension on April 15 in connection with the complaints for grave misconduct, gross neglect of duty, grave abuse of authority and technical malversation filed against him.

The cases stemmed from the use of P66.5 million from the city’s development fund in 2017 and 2018 for the upgrading of the city plaza allegedly without the approval of the city council.

Samuel Jucar, chairman of Barangay Cadaclan, and 40 other village chiefs filed the complaints.