Cebu PB Upholds Suspension of Town Mayor

The Cebu Provincial Board (PB) has upheld its decision suspending Dumanjug Mayor Nelson Gamaliel Garcia for six months for appointing a secretary to the municipal council.

The PB has found Garcia guilty of abuse of authority and grave misconduct because the power to appoint lies with the vice mayor.

The PB denied Garcia’s motion for reconsideration. The decision will take effect once it is served formally to Garcia.

Cebu PB Member Arleigh Sitoy, chairman of the PB committee on complaints and investigation, said the decision may be appealed before the Office of the President, a remedy that Garcia can take.

An appeal, however, will not stop the enforcement of the decision, he said.

The PB’s rules and procedures that govern investigation of administrative cases against elective officials of its component municipalities and cities provide that decisions of the Office of the President are final and executory.

The rules and procedures also provide that the respondent in a complaint will be considered as having been placed under preventive suspension during the pendency of an appeal.

He or she will be paid his salary during the pendency of the appeal in the event he or she will be exonerated from charges.

Garcia said he was expecting the PB to deny his motion for reconsideration.

He said he will raise the matter to the Office of the President once he gets a copy of the decision. (PNA) FFC/EB/EDS