CEBU, Philippines - Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III yesterday accepted the resignation of Capitol chief of security Loy Anthony Madrigal and his secretary, following issues of an alleged illicit affair between them and a car accident involving Madrigal.
Provincial Administrator Mark Tolentino said holding an investigation into the alleged affair of Madrigal and his secretary as well as his administrative liability when his government-issued vehicle hit couple Felix and Marites Mirambel on September 14, 2014 will become moot and academic.
“He tenders his resignation. It was accepted by the governor this morning. We cannot discuss the alleged affair with his secretary, it’s already private,” he said.
Tolentino said on Wednesday, the Committee on Discipline and Investigation (CODI) held a meeting and agreed that they would recommend preparing a “show cause order” directing Madrigal and his secretary to explain their alleged affair and the accident that killed Felix.
The show cause order was endorsed on Thursday. However, Tolentino said on the same day Madrigal and his secretary endorsed their respective resignation letters.
He said considering the resignation letter of Madrigal and his secretary was accepted, the CODI will no longer carry out any investigation with regards to the matter.
“I hope we can bring this matter to a close. You know it is very difficult for us …Loy is a good member of the office. Hopefully we can close this,” he said.
On Thursday, Madrigal returned the province-owned black Mitsubishi Strada with license plate numbers SJC 600 that figured in a car accident on September 14 at around 8:20 p.m. in Barangay Don Pedro, Bogo City.
It was a certain Jayson Catarinin, who turned over the vehicle on behalf of Madrigal at 12:20 p.m.
Tolentino added that the guns issued to Madrigal have not been turned over.
Earlier, Madrigal requested that he be allowed to keep the firearms until he can purchase his own because of threats to his life. Tolentino said they will talk to Madrigal to verify the death threats and give him help.
Meanwhile, Tolentino said that the provincial government is extending financial assistance to the Mirambel family for the hospitalization of Marites and the funeral services of Felix.
He added Davide and others have already visited Marites at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center.
In their campaign against illegal fishing, he said they will continue what they have started. Madrigal was one of the heads of the enforcement body.
Capitol information officer Ethel Natera said the wake of Felix was held in Oslob town. She said the Mirambel family wanted Marites to be well enough to attend before they bury Felix. — /BRP (FREEMAN)