San Fernando mayor suspended anew

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union: The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) served the order of this Sandiganbayan to suspend the mayor of this city for 90 days, starting March 1, 2021.

According to San Fernando City Interior and Local Government Officer Lily Ann Colisao, the 90-day preventive suspension order was served at the Office of San Fernando City Mayor Hermenegildo “Dong” Gualberto.

Gualberto was charged by the Ombudsman for violating Section 3 (e) of Republic Act 3019 or the “Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act” in connection with the alleged misuse of the 20-percent development fund of San Fernando City for the upgrading of the city plaza.

Some barangay (village) captains in La Union accused the mayor of grave misconduct, gross neglect of duty, grave abuse of authority and technical malversation of funds for the use of P66.5 million from the 2017 and 2018 internal development fund of San Fernando for the development of the city plaza.

On April 15, 2020, Gualberto was slapped with a six-month suspension by the Ombudsman. Also in September last year, the 13th Division of the Court of Appeals rejected an order from the Ombudsman to dismiss him from service.

On November 4 last year, the mayor resumed his post.

According to Colisao, San Fernando City Vice Mayor Alfredo Pablo Ortega will assume the mayorship of the city until the end of the 90-day suspension of Gualberto.