Malabon mayor steps down

It’s now official.

Malabon City Mayor Amado Vicencio stepped down from his post yesterday to serve out a 90-day suspension on orders of the Sandiganbayan.

The mayor, who chaired the local pre-qualification bid and awards committee, and four members of the body have been found guilty of graft charges filed by opposition councilors two years ago.

Vicencio’s suspension paved the way for Vice Mayor Mark Allan Jay Yambao to take over the city government. The new mayor took his oath of office at 3:30 p.m. before Malabon Regional Trial Court Judge Rosa Reyes.

The Sandiganbayan’s second division had promulgated the suspension order on July 4, but Vicencio’s lawyers filed a motion for reconsideration and a motion to quash the case. The anti-graft court subsequently junked all the arguments presented by Vicencio’s counsel leading to Yambao’s takeover.

"The Sandiganbayan has so ordered and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has complied with the court order. It is now for us to obey and abide by what the law says. Although we feel bad that a fellow official has been hit by the order, we have to follow what the court says, otherwise, we could be charged with dereliction of duty," Yambao said in an interview minutes after being sworn in as new mayor.

The DILG served the suspension order on Vicencio and four other officials at 2:30 p.m. The members of the bid and awards committee are Pio Dadula, Ma. Lida Sarmiento, city treasurer Ernesto Pabustan and Councilor Lauro Borja. – Jerry Botial