Palace: No violation in Jubahib’s suspension

MALACAÑANG on Saturday justified the suspension of Davao del Norte Gov. Edwin Jubahib, saying the order was in accordance with law.

Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin issued the statement after Jubahib said he would not step down because the order supposedly violated his right to due process.

In a statement, Bersamin said the Office of the President (OP) made a thorough assessment of the administrative complaint filed by Board Member Orly Amit against Jubahib when it issued an order preventively suspending the governor for 60 days.

He said the OP found that the complaint sufficiently alleged grave abuse of authority and oppression on the part of Jubahib in connection with the recall of Amit’s service vehicle without legal basis.

“The issuance of the preventive suspension did not violate Governor Jubahib’s right to due process. Firstly, this office ordered the respondent’s suspension to prevent any undue interference in the conduct of the investigation,” Bersamin said.

Secondly, the executive secretary said that the preventive suspension of Jubahib “was ordered only after the issues were joined in accordance with Section 63 (a) of Republic Act 7160 and Sections 1 and 4, Rule 6 of Administrative Order 23, series of 1992.”

“The OP remains committed to ensuring transparency and fairness in all administrative proceedings,” Bersamin added.

Jubahib, a protégé of former House speaker and now Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez, stayed for the night in his office on Thursday despite being served with suspension by officials of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) earlier that day.

Jubahib insisted that the DILG did not conduct any investigation on the complaint filed against him.

“They just issued the preventive suspension from OP. Thus, it was a very clear act of injustice because it did not undergo a proper due process,” he said.

The order suspending Jubahib was issued on April 8, and signed for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. by Bersamin. It said there was “strong evidence of guilt against Jubahib” and that given the gravity of the offense charged, “there is a great probability that his continuance in office could influence the witnesses or pose a threat to the safety and integrity of the records and other evidence.”

Under the law, the president is the disciplining authority for elective provincial government officials.

Jubahib ran under Partido Reporma of Alvarez and supported the failed presidential bid of former vice president Leni Robredo.

He has since switched to the ruling Partido Federal ng Pilipinas led by Marcos.

In recent months, Jubahib has aligned himself with Vice President Sara Duterte and her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte.