Another Quezon mayor suspended

LUCENA CITY, Quezon — The provincial office of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) served last Wednesday a nine-month suspension order to Mayor Joselito Alega of the municipality of San Francisco, this province.

Alega’s suspension came a day after DILG-Quezon Provincial Director Adelma Maullion implemented a similar 90-day suspension order against Mayor Faustino Silang and six other officials of Tayabas City.

The San Francisco mayor was ordered suspended by the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) over his failure to reinstate the head of the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO), Noel Castillejo, whom he dismissed in 2011.

Alega had dismissed Castillejo for alleged “grave misconduct, dishonesty, falsification of public documents, and conduct grossly prejudicial to the best interest of the service.”

However, Castillejo complained before the CSC, which ruled later that Alega should reinstate the sacked MSWDO chief. Alega returned Castillejo to the MSWDO, but no longer as its chief.

In a phone interview, Alega said: “Nalulungkot ako na walang hustisya sa aking panig. Kahit na sinunod ko ang utos ng Civil Service Commission (CSC), ang aking MR (motion for reconsideration) ay hindi binigyan ng merito at binalewala (I am saddened that I have been deprived of justice. Despite following the order of the CSC, my motion for reconsideration was not given merit.”

He said he has sought for a temporary restraining order from the Court of Appeals (CA).

But without it, DILG Provincial Director Officer-in-Charge (OIC) Vilma de Torres – in behalf of DILG Region 4 Director Renato Brion – served the suspension order and installed Vice Mayor Franco T. Aguila as acting mayor. Councilor Myrna Panganiban is now the acting vice mayor.