DILG confirms suspension of Guihulngan vice mayor

CEBU, Philippines – The Department of Interior and Local Government in Negros Oriental has confirmed the issuance of a 90-day suspension order against Guihulngan City Vice Mayor Ernesto Reyes, for a graft case filed against him, during his time as city mayor, and members of the city government bids and awards committee.

OIC provincial director Dennis Quiñones made the confirmation yesterday while attending a conference of all DILG provincial directors in Manila. He said that, on Friday, Reyes came to the DILG provincial office at the Capitol to preempt the implementation of the suspension order from the Sandiganbayan.

Quiñones said his office received the Sandiganbayan order last week and was about to proceed to Guihulngan City to implement it, but Reyes, who may have advance information, did not wait for the DILG team to come to the city and implement the preventive suspension against Reyes.

Quiñones said that, with the suspension of the vice mayor, immediately the first councilor will take over his place throughout the suspension period.

It will be recalled that then mayor Reyes and seven others—former BAC chair Remegio Sitones, city planning and development officer Harlan Senas, city treasurer Jesusa Deposa, Pacifico Bulado Jr., city engineer Harold Indab, BAC secretary Selfa Cadorna and Engineer Jason Sants, all members of the BAC—were dismissed by the Ombudsman after finding them guilty of gave misconduct for anomalous transactions using the P80-million loan from the Land Bank of the Philippines.

They were accused in a criminal complaint before the Sandiganbayan for violation of Republic Act 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act), filed by two concerned citizens in Guihulngan City, accusing Reyes and the seven others of contracting an P80-million loan from LBP, using the internal revenue allotment for 2008 as collateral to fund various projects.

Despite the absence of appropriation or budget ordinance for the 2008, and approved local/comprehensive development plan, with the city government operating then on a re-enacted budget, the respondents caused the disbursement of the loan proceeds to buy waterworks materials, heavy equipment, service vehicle, ambulance and infrastructure projects.

The case also stated that the projects were not included in the 2007 budget causing damage to the city government amounting to P90.6 million, inclusive of interest.

Included in the complaint was the purchase of two Nissan Navarra Frontier vehicles at P1,350,000 each, and brand new Urban Paramedic Ambulances, without public bidding but through direct contracting, the case also stated.

On the same year, Guihulngan City under the leadership of Reyes, as mayor, awarded an infrastructure contract worth P19,902,755.64 for the construction, rehabilitation, asphalting (overlay) and concreting of city streets allegedly without an appropriation ordinance.

Another was the purchase of a Toyota Hi Ace Super Grandia, worth P1.6 million, also without public bidding but through direct contracting as recommended by the BAC, among others.