Iloilo PB OKs mayor’s 3-month suspension

ILOILO CITY, Philippines  — The Provincial Board of Iloilo, in an 8-2 vote with two abstentions, has approved the three-month suspension of Maasin town Mayor Mariano Malones after it found him guilty of simple misconduct for failure to re-instate his former municipal employee Elsa Maternal.

PB majority floor leader June Mondejar (2nd district) said the approved committee report will be forwarded to Governor Arthur Defensor Sr. for approval of the implementation of the suspension.

Mondejar, who was among the eight PB members who voted for the mayor’s suspension, said Malones has 30 days yet to appeal the decision or to file a motion for reconsideration.

Others who voted for the suspension were: PB Members Demetrio Sonza (2nd district), Emmanuel Gallar and Mitch Bautista (both of the 3rd district), Nielo Tupas and Jesus Salcedo (both of 5th district), Paulino Parian of the Philippine Councilor’s League-Iloilo and Jeneda Salcedo-Orendain, president of the Liga ng mga Barangay-Iloilo chapter.

Those who voted against the suspension were 1st district PB Members Nimfa Garin and Dennis Valencia, who sought for a higher penalty against the mayor.

Two others, 3rd district PB Member Licurgo Tirador, who is currently on-leave, and 4th district PB Member Maria Shalene Hidaldo, inhibited themselves from the case, contending that the Civil Service Commission has already ordered Malones to reinstate Maternal to her post as human resource management assistant of Maasin LGU.

Maternal who, on July 19 last year, sought for the PB’s interventions and actions after the mayor failed to re-instate her to her post despite the CSC order.

Malones ousted Maternal from her position in 2002, prompting the latter to file at the CSC a case of gross misconduct, grave abuse of authority, oppression, dishonesty, dereliction of duty and gross negligence.

During the PB committee’s decision last week, Vice Governor Raul Tupas said Malones was guilty of simple misconduct because of the limited period of time for him to act on the implementation of the of the resolutions of the CSC, from the time the mayor assumed office on June 30, 2013 and up to the time the complaint was filed on July 19, 2013.

Tupas, however, said Malones was not guilty of all other charges such as gross misconduct, grave abuse of authority, oppression, dishonesty, dereliction of duty and gross negligence.  (FREEMAN)