GMA urged to probe government officials behind Iloilo capitol siege

ILOILO CITY — Governors in the Western Visayas region are asking President Arroyo to look into the liability of officials involved in last week’s police assault on the Iloilo provincial capitol.

Governors Vicente Bermejo of Capiz, Joseph Marañon of Negros Occidental, Carlito Marquez of Aklan, Joaquin Carlos Rahman Nava of Guimaras and Salvacion Perez of Antique signed a two-page resolution yesterday urging the President to investigate the high government officials behind the Iloilo capitol siege.

The governors have channeled their request to the President through Gov. Erico Aumentado, president of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines.

The governors came up with the resolution on the same day that Iloilo Gov. Niel Tupas delivered his State of the Province Address (SOPA), about a week after police commandos stormed the capitol and attempted to remove him from office following his dismissal allegedly for graft.

The governors attended Tupas’ SOPA as a show of support, Perez said.

In his address, Tupas called on Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez, police regional director Chief Superintendent Wilfredo Dulay and those involved in the operation to resign.

"Their immediate resignation is the most honorable thing for them to do, and (would) allow the healing process to begin," Tupas said.

"What transpired at the Iloilo Capitol was a shameless assault on our democratic institutions," the governor said in his address. Interestingly, Vice Gov. Roberto Armada, who was sworn in to replace Tupas Monday last week, was absent during the session yesterday.

He described last week’s police assault as the "lowest ebb in the history of the PNP." His camp, however, expressed dismay over people’s reaction to the incident.

"A few months back, the people and the media are calling for a stop to the massive corruption in the Capitol. Now, they are crying for, clapping and supporting a publicly known grafter," Armada’s spokesperson, lawyer Ma. Rita Bascos-Sarabia, said in a text message to The STAR yesterday, after Tupas concluded his speech.

CA stops suspension of more local execs

Meanwhile, the Court of Appeals (CA) stopped the implementation of a suspension order by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) against Mamburao Occidental Mayor Joel Panaligan and Pangasinan Mayor Ricardo Evangelista.

Evangelista and Panaligan, along with their municipal treasurers and municipal accountants, had earlier been suspended for alleged misconduct.

In a two-page resolution issued yesterday, the CA 12th Division enjoined Puno and his regional director form enforcing an Ombudsman resolution suspending for a "month and one day" Panaligan, municipal treasurer Deoridina Reyes and municipal accountant Mary Anne Alcaide.

The three had been suspended for paying the salaries of 13 casual employees hired by the Office of the Sangguniang Bayan, headed by complainant Vice Mayor Leonilo Villanueva, but were paid from the general fund of the mayor. Panaligan explained that the general fund of the Sangguniang Bayan had no appropriation for that year and that Villanueva had no authority to hire them since there was no approved appropriation for their salaries.

The mayor said it was his prerogative as chief executive of the municipality to pay the wages of employees for actual services rendered. — With Jose Rodel Clapano