Labogon barangay captain-elect sworn in early

Amado Manatad, Labogon, Mandaue City barangay captain-elect, was forced to take over the post earlier than usual after Renato Suson, the outgoing barangay captain, was suspended along with two barangay officials.

Suson has until the end of the month before his term ends.

Suson was not in the barangay hall when Atty. James Allan Sayson of the City Legal Office yesterday served the suspension order that Mayor Luigi Quisumbing had signed.

Sayson was forced to post the order on the wall since no one in the barangay hall would receive it.

Suson was suspended for six months, while Barangay Councilor Alfredo Estrada was suspended for three months. Councilor Benwilson Bodo will serve a onemonth suspension.

“Og dili ma-serve karon, dili na nato ma-enforce ang (If we don’t serve it now, we might not be able to enforce the) suspension order because July 1 that’s a new term,” Sayson said.

According to the City Council decision, the suspended officials violated the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act in connection to the alleged ghost delivery of construction materials for the rehabilitation of the barangay’s material recovery facility (MRF).

The council had inspected the facility and discovered that nothing had improved despite the assurances of Suson.

“Leksiyon ni sa mga opisyal nga naghimo og dili maayo ug naglapas sa balaod. Kita maoy gipiyalan sa property sa barangay, so ato gyud ning ampingan (This is a lesson for any official who violate the law. We were given charge of barangay property, so we should take care of it),” Manatad said.

Manatad, the barangay’s former first councilor, took his oath as barangay captain yesterday morning in front of a judge.

Suson, Estrada and Bodo were also suspended for 60 days last December for the same alleged offense.

Fellow barangay officials led by Manatad filed a complaint against the three before the City Council.

In its report, the City’s committee of good government, public ethics and accountability said that there was no actual receipt of deliveries for the construction materials. /