Panglao
Mayor Doloreich Dumaluan was finally served his 6-month suspension as Vice Mayor
Pedro Fuertes was immediately sworn in to assume as municipal mayor by Department
of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Assistant Regional Director Pedro Noval
11 a.m. last Tuesday.
Moments
after service of the suspension order, Dumaluan rushed to Cebu City with lead
counsel, Atty. Victor dela Serna to file a petition at the Court of Appeals (CA)
Visayas for a temporary restraining order (TRO).
Dumaluan
was in his office at the town hall Tuesday morning with his staff when Noval handed
his suspension order which was meted by the Office of the Ombudsman last January
12.
Dela
Serna received the order in behalf of the mayor who delivered a short talk at
the municipal hall before some 100 employees and supporters.
| | | As
promised by Dumaluan, he stepped down from office peacefully at 11 a.m. last Tuesday.
Vice
Mayor Fuertes, on the other hand, who was in his office at the municipal hall,
was sworn in by Noval minutes after serving Dumaluan's suspension order.
Fuertes
was also instructed by Noval to issue a memorandum to the municipal chiefs of
offices informing him that he is assuming in an acting capacity as mayor while
Dumaluan is suspended. |
SECURING
TRO
According
to Noval, Dumaluan is given 10 days to secure a TRO starting last Tuesday and
another 5 days to get an injunction at the appellate court.
Dumaluan
said in his speech that he is optimistic a restraining order will be granted by
the CA while claiming he was not given due process with the implementation of
the suspension.
The
mayor said he has complete records and documentation on the case filed against
him to discredit the Ombudsman decision.
BACKGROUND
The
6-month suspension stemmed from an administrative case filed by Panglao councilors
Telesforo Mejos, Cerino Hormachuelos and Dennis Hora with municipal treasurer
Rena Guivencan and budget officer Catalino Sumaylo.
The
case arose from the mayor's alleged collection of gasoline allowances for his
personal vehicles.
Dumaluan
will be serving his suspension without pay and benefits for six months.
The
Ombudsman decision found Dumaluan administratively guilty of 'simple misconduct'
and that there is "substantial evidence proving that [Dumaluan] charged to
the account of the municipality in the amount of P5,661.23 gasoline and diesel
fuel expenses "supplied to his private vehicles."
Suspended
with Dumaluan is municipal accountant Elvira Celnuar, who is meted a one-month
suspension without pay and benefits for 'simple neglect of duty'. | 
