Tension up in Zambo del Sur town as mayor defies new suspension order
KUMALARANG, ZAMBOANGA DEL SUR—Tension is brewing in this town after its mayor refused to heed the 60-day suspension order issued by the provincial governor.
Zamboanga del Sur Gov. Victor Yu ordered the suspension of Mayor Ruel Molina on Thursday due to an administrative case filed against the latter before the provincial board by the town’s vice mayor, Raniel Dormitorio, and two municipal councilors for alleged abuse of authority and misconduct in office.
Sensing he would be suspended, Molina secured an order from a local court on July 19, restraining the provincial board from recommending his suspension to the governor. But Yu went on to sign the suspension order.
When the court restraining order expired on Thursday, Molina’s supporters barricaded the municipal hall, putting up metal railings and lining up vehicles to prevent Dormitorio from entering the building and taking over as acting mayor.
Later on Thursday, Molina was able to secure a 17-day extension of the restraining order from the court.
Third time
The July 22 suspension order against Molina came as he just resumed office on July 19 following a six-month suspension as penalty for an earlier administrative complaint.
Yu also suspended Molina for 60 days in November last year after six former village officials charged him for abuse of authority before the provincial board.
Early this year, the provincial board again meted Molina a six-month suspension from office that ended on July 18.
Although Molina’s supporters were no longer barricading the municipal hall as of Friday, the tension remained as Dormitorio vowed to take over as acting mayor.
Lawyer Banjo Cordero, Dormitorio’s legal counsel, said the court order only covered the provincial board and not Yu, who issued the suspension order.
A first
Paisal Abutazil, regional director of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, said he already asked the agency’s provincial office to study the matter carefully to settle the question of Molina’s suspension and Dormitorio’s assumption as acting mayor.
Abutazil noted that it would be a first that a court has restrained an entity that only recommends an action while the one who orders it was not.
Molina said the turn of events were all “part of the political harassment” against those who opposed the governor.
Apart from Molina, Tabina Mayor Greg Dayondon and Guipos Mayor Vicente Cajeta, also political enemies of Yu, were also suspended in 2019. Several more town mayors face administrative complaints before the provincial board.
Last year, Molina claimed that payola was handed to provincial politicians for giving favors to contractors of public works projects.