Status quo at Lanao del Sur Capitol

MARAWI CITY — Lanao del Sur Gov. Aleem Bashier Manalao will remain in office until the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) has issued an enforcement order on the six-month suspension imposed on him by the Office of the Ombudsman.

After several months of review of cases filed against Manalao, Ombudsman Emilio Gonzales III and his deputy for Luzon, Victor Fernandez, have formally signed the order for his suspension.

The Ombudsman has requested Interior and Local Government Secretary Angelo Reyes to enforce its order.

Manalao was accused of violating Section 49 of Presidential Decree 807 when he employed his brother-in-law as his chief of staff and a brother as the officer-in-charge of the People’s Park and Library, allegedly a clear case of grave abuse of authority, grave misconduct and dishonesty.

The governor was also accused of purchasing three vehicles, which were given to private institutions, supposedly without the approval of the provincial board.

Tension arose as some provincial board members secured last week a photocopy of a resolution supposedly from the ARMM and Vice Gov. Monera Macabangon tried to take over the governor’s office.

But Manalao’s camp refused to recognize the photocopy and demanded an original copy.

The tension at the Capitol prompted Col. Ariel Querubin, commanding officer of the 1st Marines Brigade, to deploy troops in the area.

To defuse the tension, Manalao and Macabangon agreed in a meeting yesterday to maintain the status quo while they await the enforcement letter from the DILG-ARMM, Querubin said.