Another suspension for Guagua mayor?

CLARK FREEPORT- If there is such a title as “Most Suspended Mayor,” the chief executive of Guagua is likely to win it.

Incumbent Mayor Dante Torres disclosed that he is currently serving his third suspension, which took effect last May 29 and ends in August, during the Friday forum of the Capampangan in Media (CAMI) at the BaleBalita here.

The suspension is a preventive one, Torres said, and not a penalty as the first one he was given in 2016 for signing a marriage document which he allegedly did not officiate.

The current suspension is based on charge of technical malversation that apparently has something do with a public infrastructure in the town plaza.

Torres said that his second suspension, also a preventive one, was also for alleged technical malversation involving the town’s slaughterhouse.

He said he had nothing to do with the pr oj ect .

The two preventive suspension orders were issued by the Ombudsman.

As this developed, Torres said his political opponents in Guagua are cooking up another case for him to be suspended again.

“All this is politically motivated,” Torres said, adding that his series of suspensions has adversely affected local governance.

Inspite the suspensions, however, Guagua has been a consistent awardee for good local governance for the years 2015, 2016 and 2017.

“We have already won three Seal for Local Good Governance awards,” Torres said, “and working on the fourth one.”

His team’s effort at making Guagua stands out in local governance is being stymied by the suspension which he described as pure political power.

“It’s just a thirst for power but unfortunately they cannot win it through election so they’re doing it some other ways,” he said.

He said does not have mobile phone because he has been getting death threats through it.

Torres is convinced that influential and moneyed politicians in the province are supporting the move by his rivals to oust him.

Torres envisions converting his town from a first-class municipality to a city but admitted the town’s population size doesn’t meet the requirement yet.

Guagua is considered one of the wealthiest towns because of its vast fishing industry which Torres described as “underground economy”.