Graft case to leave Leyte town sans mayor, vice mayor, 6 councilors

Believe it or not, but the Leyte town of Hilongos faces the prospect of losing all its officials, except four councilors.

This, after the Sandiganbayan ordered the arrest of the town’s mayor, vice mayor and six of its 10 councilors.

The mayor, Panfilo Go, was, in fact, the first to fall. He was arrested last July 1 and is now in police custody, said SPO1 Benjamin Varga of the Hilongos police.

The officials all face graft charges filed by former councilor Trinidad Cabardo with the Office of the Ombudsman which, in turn, elevated the case to the Sandiganbayan.

Aside from ordering the arrest of the eight officials, the anti-graft court also issued a hold departure order for them.

Cabardo filed the complaint against Go, Vice Mayor Alta—gracia Villaflor, and councilors Lamberto Rainier Franco, Ma—nuel Gabisan, Epifanio Nerves, Lilia Sabando, Edwin Faller and Rogelio Yan for allegedly refusing to recognize her appointment as a new member of the municipal council.

Only councilors Armando Fulache, Rebecca Flores and Aurelio Mendoza were not named respondents, apparently because they recognized Cabar—do’s appointment.

Cabardo was formally appointed councilor by Leyte Gov. Remedios Petilla on June 7, 1999 to replace councilor Teogenes Caing who resigned his post to become the municipal health officer.

On June 15 the same year, Cabardo reported for work but the respondents allegedly refused to recognize her as the council’s new member, supposedly pending the verification of her papers.

Cabardo claimed she later found out that the respondents refused to recognize her because of a letter of protest from a lawyer, a certain Eriberto Loreto.

On June 22, the councilors approved a resolution commanding the municipal treasurer not to pay Cabardo’s salary and to declare the position vacant.

On June 29, Cabardo went to the Hilongos court and subsequently, secured an order on Feb. 24, 2000 that she be allowed to perform the duties of a councilor.

Emeterio Moreno Jr, legal chief of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, said the three other councilors not included in the arrest order can, in the meantime, act as mayor, vice mayor and councilor, according to their election rankings.

Moreno said the respondents may resume their positions once they are able to post bail. — Freeman News Service