Sibonga mayor suspended

CEBU, Philippines - The Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas has ordered Sibonga Mayor Lionel Bacaltos suspended for three months without pay for simple misconduct.

Graft investigation and prosecution officer Maria Vergara-Naraja held him administratively liable for ordering the removal of the tennis nets at the public tennis court in the municipality plaza.

“The tennis court is indisputably part of the municipality’s public plaza, hence, a public property. Although technically the tennis court may not be considered a plaza, therefore beyond the purview of Section 21 of Republic Act 7160, respondent is still without authority to arbitrarily cause its closure without at least notifying the public – the taxpayers for whom the tennis court was built,” the decision read.

The case stemmed from a complaint filed by Sibonga residents Tito Satera, Nestor Ponce, Fabian Jose Teves, George Chan, Irvin Rizon, Gerson Chan and Aurelio Amores. Chan said on June 2, 2013 he saw some men removing the tennis nets at the public tennis court. When he asked them why they removed the nets, the men told him Bacaltos ordered it.

In his counter-affidavit, Bacaltos said sometime in June 2013, he informed the club that the tennis court will be used as venue for the DepEd Provincial Meet and that it needs to be prepared. He also admitted ordering the tennis court to be locked down after he received complaints that it was used exclusively by the members of the club.

Naraja ruled in favor of the complainants saying Bacaltos admitted he had the tennis court locked upon complaints it was being used exclusively by the members of the club, but failed to present evidence regarding the complaints.  (FREEMAN)