Tom supports new regional prosecutor

Mayor Tomas Osmeña yesterday welcomed the appointment of former Cebu City assistant prosecutor Fernando Gubalane as the new regional state prosecutor.

The mayor also said he is very much willing to extend support to Gubalane especially in ridding the prosecutor’s office of illegal activities like what he has been doing in the City Fiscal’s Office.

Gubalane and city prosecutor Nicholas Sellon paid Osmeña a courtesy call at his office in City Hall yesterday morning.

Osmeña told reporters that Gubalane asked him if he can still extend support to him now that he is handling a bigger office.

“Of course I’ll support him.  From time to time, just like the city prosecutors office but he has to disclose what other local governments are giving support so there would be no duplication,” the mayor said.

In fact, he added that the city has spent over a million already for the “cleaning up” of the City Fiscal’s Office.

Osmeña said he is supportive of Gubalane because the new regional state prosecutor is also a member of the Cebu Anti-Indecency Board, which is under the mayor’s office.

Gubalane’s appointment papers were already signed by President Gloria Arroyo and he took his oath before Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez in Manila earlier this week.

Believing in his competence, both Osmeña and Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia earlier endorsed Gubalane for the job.   — Wenna A. Berondo/BRP