Barangay captain suspended

CEBU, Philippines - The Municipal Council of Daanbantayan ordered the 60-day preventive suspension of the barangay captain of Bakhawan due to a complaint for grave abuse of authority, oppression, serious misconduct and gross dishonesty.

Mayor Ma. Luisa Loot implemented the suspension last Tuesday of Bernardito Luche, Bakhawan barangay captain.

It was barangay kagawad Veronico Espinosa and five companions who filed the complaint against Luche for grave abuse of authority, oppression, serious misconduct and gross dishonesty.

Espinosa’s co-complainants were barangay kagawad Felix Li-nabog, spouses Prociso Piedad and Concepcion Piedad, spouses Rogelio Gallares, Sr. and Elma Gallares. They also filed criminal charges before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas.

Aside from Luche, the named respondents were PO1 Ronald Gomez, barangay treasurer Clarissa En-dab, barangay secretary Maria Bella Arreglo, Ronie Arreglo, and barangay tanods Jerry Doble, Porferio Noynay, Peter Cabrera, and Gimilo Doble, Nandy Palonpon, Socrates Rivera, barangay driver Ferdinand Ybañez and Nonito Carma.

Pursuant to Sections 60 and 61 of the Local Government Code, the municipal council has jurisdiction only over Luche, the only elected official among the respondents.

The Council imposed the order “considering the gravity of the offense and the existence of a great probability that the continuance of the office of the respondent could influence the witnesses or pose a threat to the safety and integrity of the records and other evidence.”

Rex Novabos, chairman of the council’s committee on investigation and president of the Association of Barangay Councils, recommended the suspension. It was approved by all councilors except Gilbert Arrabis, Jr.

With the preventive suspension, Luche shall not exercise the function of the barangay captain nor receive any salary or compensation in 60 days, while Espinosa, the first councilman, now serves as the acting barangay captain.

Luche, in an interview, said the complainants sued him following an incident last February 17 when one Salud Mondoyo called for his help as barangay captain to confiscate the Gemelina trees she owned but were cut down without her permission.

Mondoyo’s daughter Concepcion and the latter’s husband, Prociso, the Piedad couple, allegedly sold the trees to Rogelio Gallares without her permission.

She added that the couple let her sign an agreement the following day, but it was not because she agreed to the cutting of the trees.

Mondoyo stated in her affidavit dated March 21, 2011 that it’s not true she gave her consent to cut and sell the trees.

Luche said yesterday that the move is politically motivated considering that all barangay officials, except for him, are allies of Loot.

Yesterday, he went to the Provincial Capitol to seek the help of Governor Gwendolyn Garcia.

Tomorrow, Friday, at 1:30 pm, the case is set for the marking of exhibits by both parties before the secretary of the council, Monalisa Ancao. (FREEMAN)