Lanao Sur exec stopped from withdrawing funds

MARAWI CITY — Marines defused a tense situation at the Land Bank of the Philippines branch here yesterday when the provincial security force (PSF) of Lanao del Sur stopped the provincial disbursing officer from withdrawing funds.

According to Titing Tatar, brother-in-law and a consultant of Lanao del Sur Gov. Aleem Bashier Mustaqbal Manalao, some PSF members still recognize Vice Gov. Monera Macabangon as the acting governor.

The situation became tense when the armed PSF members insisted that Monera’s lawyers had secured a temporary restraining order (TRO) from the local regional trial court stopping Landbank officers from releasing any funds to Manalao.

Manalao’s lawyers, however, said the Landbank branch dishonored the TRO since it cannot supersede a ruling by the Office of the Ombudsman.

Manalao was re-instated as governor last month after his six-month preventive suspension imposed by the Ombudsman for various cases filed by majority of the provincial board members.

The Ombudsman has dismissed the six administrative cases and six criminal cases filed against Manalao for lack of merit, Tatar said.

During Manalao’s preventive suspension, Macabangon took over as acting governor.

The provincial disbursing officer, however, was later able to withdraw funds after he sought the help of the First Marine Brigade, Tatar said.

Lanao del Sur police director Pangalawan Ampatua said he has recalled the memorandum receipts issued to PSF members who still support Macabangon.

Meanwhile, the recall election move against Manalao, initiated by some municipal mayors for alleged loss of public confidence in his leadership, fizzled out after the Commission on Elections (Comelec) ruled that there is lack of time to pursue it because of the May 2007 elections and due to inadequate funds, Tatar said.

The political bickerings in Lanao del Sur started when Manalao, who ran and won as vice governor in the 2004 elections, became governor when the elected governor, Mamintal Adiong, died of a lingering illness three days after taking his oath of office.