Mambaling village chief refuses to step down

CEBU, Philippines — A week after the Office of the City Secretariat served the suspension order against Mambaling village chief Gines Abellana, he still has no plans of stepping down from the post.

With this, the acting chairwoman, Anne Marie Vestil Palomo, asked the Department of the Interior of Local Government (DILG)-Cebu City to explain the suspension of Abellana.

Palomo was disturbed about this matter considering that it caused chaos in their barangay because there are two officials serving as the barangay captain.

Yesterday morning, representatives from the DILG were about to go to the barangay hall to meet with Abellana about the matter but he was not available because he has a hearing in Danao City.

“Basin nag delaying tactics sad ning usa,” Palomo said. (Maybe this is his delaying tactic.)

Last Monday, the barangay had two sessions because Abellana wanted to sit as the barangay captain even with the suspension order.

Palomo does not want to give way because she already took his oath of office that she will assume the responsibility of Abellana being the first elected barangay councilor.

Palomo is asking DILG to explain to Abellana the situation.

Last January 9, after the decision of the City Council to suspend Abellana, the office of the secretariat served the order in compliance with the legislative’s decision.

Last Friday, DILG officer-in-charge Emma  Joyevelyn  Calvo said under Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code, the City Council's secretary has the power to implement the order issued by the legislative body.

"If ang council nagpa-suspend, ang secretariat ang mo-implement. Tagaan nalang mi og copy diri," she earlier said. (If the council suspended him, the secretariat will implement and they will just give us a copy of the suspension order.)

Palomo said she sent a letter to DILG that she assumed office as the acting chairwoman of Barangay Mambaling.

She also asked the regional office of DILG about the matter in order to put an end to the unresolved issue.

To recall, Abellana was suspended from office after Palomo and other barangay councilors filed administrative complaint for allegedly not releasing their monthly honoraria from July to December 2018.

In a separate interview, the suspended barangay captain remains firm to his earlier decision that he won’t vacate his post unless DILG will order him to do so.

“Pasagdi lang na siya (Palomo), may’g abogado na siya…Dili na siya kaadto og korte. Naboang na siya. Dili mana siya abogado, ngano magsalig man mo niya sa iyahang gipanabi nga wala mana siya kasabot sa iyaha gipanulti,” Abellana said. (Don’t mind her. She is not a lawyer.  She can’t go to court. She has gone crazy.  Why do you believe her when she does not know what she is talking about.) (FREEMAN)