DILG Bohol reinstates Panglao mayor
TAGBILARAN CITY – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Monday released a memorandum, reinstating Leonila Montero as Panglao mayor.
Johnjoan Mende of the DILG Bohol served the memorandum signed by Leocardio Trovela of DILG Central Visayas to Montero in her office in the town hall.
Montero returns to her post after serving out a suspension ordered by the Ombudsman. An order was also served on Vice Mayor Pedro Fuertes, who was also allowed to return to his post.
The Court of Appeals (CA) back in October 16, 2018 junked the motion for reconsideration filed by a private complainant. The motion seeks to reconsider the decision made by the CA back in June 2018.
With the junking of the motion, there was no more legal impediment for Montero to reassume her post. This paved the way for the DILG’s issuance of the memorandum, which led to the formal reinstatement of Montero as mayor of Panglao. Panglao is Bohol’s tourism crown jewel.
After serving her suspension, Montero pushed for her reassumption as Panglao mayor back in September 2018. In the aftermath of the event, the DILG released a memorandum that Montero’s assumption is “premature”. The DILG said in the September 2018 memorandum there is no final verdict on the petition of certiorari filed by Montero before the Court of Appeals.
The issue stems from Montero’s appointment of four losing candidates in the 2013 elections to various appointive positions in the town government. The hiring happened within the one-year prohibition period of appointing losing candidates in the previous elections.
The Ombudsman in an order last October 2017 suspended Montero for three months. On January 2018, the Ombudsman released another order dismissing Montero from public office.
Moreover, the latest order was an upgrade of the October 2017 order. Montero challenged the January 2018 Ombudsman order before the CA by filing a petition for certiorari.
The CA gave Montero a favorable decision paving the way for her return to the mayor’s seat after serving the three-month suspension earlier ordered by the Ombudsman.