Guv warns mayor of neglect of duty

CEBU, Philippines - Aloguinsan Vice Mayor Augustus Caesar Moreno could be held liable for neglect of duty following report of not assuming the mayorship after the suspension of his wife, Mayor Cynthia Moreno.

Gov. Hilario Davide III has warned the vice mayor yesterday after hearing the said report.

“Kinahanglan gyud siya mo-assume otherwise he can be liable for neglect of duty or abandonment sa iyang position,” Davide told reporters.

But Moreno said he has already assumed office a day after the suspension order was served last September 25.

Though he stressed that he was apprehensive at first to assume office pending motion for reconsideration filed by the accused or else he could be charged for usurpation by his own wife.

“Tan-aw nako og di ko mo-assume mas hasol man. Ni-assume nalang ko being the vice-mayor,” Moreno told reporters.

Moreno also shared the negative impact brought by the suspension of the mayor and four department heads to the delivery of basic services.

He cited the Municipal Budget Office which has no assistant who can take over since the staff are all job order employees.

The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) 7 has served the 90-day preventive suspension order of the Sandiganbayan against Cynthia  and seven other municipal officials.

The order was received “under protest” pending resolution of their motion for reconsideration filed last September 19, 2013.

Last September 24, 2013, DILG Undersecretary Austere Panadero issued a memorandum ordering DILG 7 Director Ananias Villacorta to implement the ruling of the Sandiganbayan First Division.

On August 12, 2013, the Sandiganbayan ruled that Cynthia’s petition questioning the suspension has already been resolved by the Supreme Court and attained finality on March 19, 2013.

The case against Cynthia was filed in 2007 when she was mayor.

Felimon Georsua, Jr. had accused Cynthia, along with municipal engineer Orven Nengasca, civil registrar and Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) chairman Pepito Maguilimotan, budget officer Nonela Villegas, agricultural officer Marilyn Flordeliza, municipal assessor John Lim, utility workers and BAC members Emilia Luz Celis and Getrudes Ababon of violating Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees for buying construction materials worth at least P1 million in 2007 allegedly without public bidding.

In the 2010 elections, the husband and wife tandem ran and won with Augustus Caesar as mayor and Cynthia as vice mayor. Seats were swapped in the May 2013 polls.—(FREEMAN)