GMA suspends Malabon mayor

President Arroyo has ordered the preventive suspension of Malabon City Mayor Amado Vicencio, a known supporter and ally of deposed President Joseph Estrada.

The mayor was ordered relieved from his post by the Palace upon the recommendation of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jose Lina Jr.

Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye told The Star yesterday that Malacañang approved the suspension of Vicencio based on an administrative case filed against him with the DILG.

"It will be up to the DILG to implement this," Bunye said.

However, the Palace order was not served yesterday as the mayor’s supporters barricaded the city hall.

The suspension order against Mayor Vicencio came on the eve of the second anniversary of the cityhood of Malabon.

The graft complaint was filed by four Malabon city councilors from the ruling People Power Coalition over the allegedly anomalous construction of a new city hall.

However, Bunye clarified there were no political motives behind the Palace suspension against Vicencio, who is now on his third and last term in office.

"This is a very objective action. This is due to an administrative complaint and not anything else," Bunye told The Star.

Vicencio is among the original members of Estrada’s Partido ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) in Malabon.