Baguio dads, groups hit DILG status quo order

BAGUIO CITY — Majority members of the city council and multisectoral groups in this mountain resort city have questioned the status quo order issued by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) for beleaguered Mayor Braulio Yaranon.

The DILG allowed Yaranon to continue to act as the city’s chief executive until such time that the Office of the President shall have decided on his motion for reconsideration on his earlier suspension.

During the council’s regular session last July 31, most councilors said they believe that the status quo order was illegal since it could not supersede a decision handed down by the Office of the President.

They argued that Vice Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr. is still the legitimate acting mayor.

While allowing Bautista to preside over the meeting, the council reserved its right to question the latest DILG order, saying the best way is for the DILG to just implement the Palace order suspending Yaranon for one year on charges of grave misconduct, grave abuse of authority and oppression and delegating the mayor’s powers to the vice mayor in an acting capacity.

At the same time, multisectoral groups in the city appealed to the Office of the President to immediately rule on Yaranon’s suspension to instill order at City Hall.

They claimed that the continuous reign of Yaranon, despite public knowledge of his suspension, is not doing the city any good.

They alleged that the city is in a "very bad state" due to controversies involving its incumbent officials, thus Malacañang must come to the rescue and instill order by upholding its earlier decision suspending the mayor.

Last June 26, Executive Secretary Ermita approved the DILG’s recommendation to suspend Yaranon for one year for issuing several orders against the operation of Jadewell Parking Systems Corp., a pay parking operator in the city, in gross violation of an existing pay parking ordinance and the company’s vested rights.

But on July 26, DILG Undersecretary Wencelito Andanar issued a status quo order, stating that Yaranon should continue to act as city mayor while Malacañang acts on his pending motion for reconsideration.