This government is on a rampage suspending and ousting public officials, including those elected by millions of voters and this travesty appears more reprehensible in an election year. In election seasons, election laws prohibit transfers and other personnel movements.
Aside from the highly-unfair and peremptory suspension and then removal of Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, the duly-elected president of league of Cities of the Philippines, the BBM administration has an unparalleled record of suspensions and removals of elected public officials in 2024 alone. We should be fair, however, to add that not all of such were executive acts, some were judicial.
First, Jo Mark Libre, CHED commissioner was dismissed from office for grave misconduct. Second, former PNP SAF Director Leocadio Santiago was convicted by the Supreme Court and removed from office for anomalous practice of used helicopters in 2008 under GMA. Third, Marcos removed from Office Assistant Solicitor General Derek Puertollano for sexual harassment of two legal interns.
Fourth, 139 officials and personnel of NFA, including administrator, Roderico Bioco, were suspended due to involvement in the anomalous sale of rice buffer stocks. Fifth, its acting administrator, Piolito Santos, was likewise suspended over the same case. Sixth, Marcos suspended Davao Norte governor Edwin Jubahib for 60 days due to misuse of authority. Seventh, BFAR director Demosthenes Escoto was removed from office for grave misconduct.
Eighth, both son and father, Aurora governor and vice governor, respectively, were removed for abuses. Ninth, Silang, Cavite, Mayor Alston Anarna was suspended for 60 days for use of public funds for the town's fiesta.
The tenth was the rather unfair suspension on May 8 of Rama for vague charges, allegedly without due process. Eleventh, independent Senate president Juan Miguel Zubiri was removed and replaced by a Palace-friendly Chiz Escudero, apparently part of the overall strategic goal of political power consolidation. Twelfth, Nueva Ecija governor Aurelio Umali was suspended for six months but the suspension was halted by a TRO.
Thirteenth, Mindanao Development Authority Mabel Acosta was dismissed by BBM due to loss of trust, but she defied the order and continued to hold office. Fourteenth, the Bohol governor and 68 other elected officials were suspended due to the Chocolate Hills illegal construction anomaly. Fourteenth, Marcos suspended Davao del Norte Governor Edwin Hubahib, a known Duterte ally, for the second time.
Fifteenth, Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro Mayor Voltaire Villarosa was convicted of graft and sent to prison for four years. The sixteenth case was on June 24, when San Simon, Pampanga, Mayor Abundio Punzalan Jr. was suspended for corruption. Seventeenth was when 15 officials were convicted and removed from office in connection with a Misamis Occidental PDAF scam.
Eighteenth was the 90-day suspension of Senior Citizens Director Franklin Quijano, another Duterte appointee, for gross neglect of duty. Number 19 was the conviction on July 10 of former CDO congressman Constantino Jaraula for the Fertilizer Scam in 2008. The twentieth suspension was the 18-month suspension of Abra Vice Governor Joy Bernos. Number 21 was the dismissal of Mayor Alice Guo of Bamban, Tarlac.
Number 22 was the six-month suspension of Energy Commissioner Monalisa Dimalanta for ignoring a consumer complaint. Number 23 is the suspension for one year of Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes for grave misconduct. Number 24 is the dismissal of Albay governor Noel Rosal and his wife Legazpi City mayor Geraldine Rosal for violations of Comelec ban on calamity fund distribution. Then Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco was fired in connection with the Guo brouhaha.
For lack of space, I cannot continue but I have to end with the infamous dismissal from office of Rama for the very flimsy act of signing the renewal of his wife's brother's non-permanent appointment to a lowly office. The unkindest cut of all is the questionable perpetual disqualification which is a virtual disenfranchisement of both the voters and the good mayor. On the same day, Cortes was also dismissed from the service due to an illegal cement plant. My God.
This is a country where an ex-convict who served a prison term is elected senator. A number of senators accused and convicted of plunder and multi-million scams are still in the Senate. A guy who wasn’t confirmed DSWD secretary due to citizenship issues is allowed by the Comelec to run for senator. But Rama, an ally of the Dutertes, who was elected by hundreds of thousands of Cebuanos, now suffers removal without due process of law.
What is happening to the Philippines?