Manila Bulletin

Iligan mayor serves 90-day preventive suspension

- By BONITA L. ERMAC

ILIGAN CITY – Vice Mayor Jemar Vera Cruz has temporaril­y taken over the responsibi­lities of Mayor Celso G. Regencia, who was served a 90-day preventive suspension order on June 6 by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

The suspension, which was ordered by the Sandiganba­yan, stemmed from a charge of usurpation of authority after he continued to perform his duties as city mayor while in detention from October 2015 to January 2017.

He was detained after he was linked to the slay try on Iligan City Rep. Vicente Belmonte Jr. on December 11, 2014.

But Regencia was released on January 2017 after the multiple murder and frustrated murder cases filed against him were dismissed.

“Tungod kay duna pay order si DILG nga wala niya tumana, nga dapat dili ka pwede mo-function as mayor kay detainado ka (Because DILG has issued an order that Regencia did not obey, that you should not function as mayor as you are in detention),” said Leo Zaragoza, one of Regencia’s lawyers.

City Informatio­n Officer Jose Pantoja, posted in the LGU-Iligan Facebook Regencia’s statement, which said: “Ninaug gani ko sa una nga si Marzo ang mabilin, karon pa nga akong vice nga pari mao’y mabilin. Dili man ako ang ilang gitira, ang katawhan man sa Iligan (I conceded before knowing that I’d be leaving the seat to Marzo, how much more now that I’d be leaving the responsibi­lities to my vice, a priest. In reality they are not attacking me, they are attacking the people of Iligan City).”

“The suspension will end on the first week of September, but if the Temporary Restrainin­g Order (TRO) filed at the Supreme Court that they have prayed for will be approved, automatica­lly our mayor will resume his office as mayor,” Vera Cruz said.

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