Guardo faces 3-month suspension

The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Central Visayas implemented a threemonth suspension without pay against Cebu City Councilor Jerry Guardo for his failure to submit required documents when he was still a barangay captain in Sambag I.

In the decision that Deputy Ombudsman Paul Elmer Clemente approved last Dec. 9, 2016, the anti- graft of � ice found Guardo guilty of simple neglect of duty.

By the authority of the DILG Secretary, Undersecretary Austere Panadero issued a memorandum dated Feb. 23, 2017 directing DILG 7 Director Atty. Rene Burdeos to implement the suspension.

In an interview, Guardo said he received a copy of the suspension order last Friday.

The violation was committed by Guardo when he was still the barangay captain of Sambag I after he failed to submit the yearend financial statement of the barangay to Commission on Audit (COA).

Although he already heeded the suspension order, Guardo questioned its implementation, saying he is no longer serving as a village chief.

“I wanted to clarify the directive because the first order of the ombudsman is for me to pay the penalty, which is equivalent to three months salary of the barangay captain of Sambag I. I wonder why DILG 7 has a different interpretation on the matter and it affected my current position even if the case was filed when I was still a barangay captain,” Guardo said. Guardo has filed an appeal. He argued that Section 66 (b) of the Local Government Code prohibits the enforcement of the penalty of suspension beyond the unexpired portion of the elective local officials’ prior term.

His term as barangay captain of Sambag I expired last June 30, 2016. /