Palace adviser quits in disgust at Baguio mayor’s suspension

BAGUIO CITY — A top Palace adviser for the Cordillera region has given up his post in disgust at Malacañang’s decision to suspend Baguio City Mayor Braulio Yaranon for one year over a private pay parking controversy.

Silvestre Afable, Cabinet Officer for Regional Development for the Cordilleras, tendered his resignation last June 26, the day Malacañang suspended Yaranon for culpable violations of the Constitution, dishonesty, oppression, misconduct and abuse of authority.

In a statement yesterday, Afable said he has supported Yaranon in his "crusade against dirty politics and governance."

"I shall support him in his quest for justice," he said.

Afable, the government’s chief negotiator in peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, praised Yaranon for his statesmanship in accepting the Palace decision and in seeking for lawful relief.

Yaranon, a retired regional trial court judge, told reporters yesterday that noted lawyers and judges in Baguio City are helping him appeal the Palace decision.

He said he will file his motion for reconsideration on Monday. "I know we will win," he said.

Twenty pastors from different churches in Baguio and La Trinidad, Benguet showed up at Yaranon’s office yesterday noon and offered prayers "(for) our government officials and (the) private entities that corrupt them."

"Righteousness will prevail… We want all onerous contracts in the city junked," said Bishop Oscar Magallanes, who represents some 200 independent churches in Baguio and La Trinidad.

After the Filipino pastors had left, 15 pastors from the South Korean city of Tabaek, a sister city of Baguio, arrived to also express their support for Yaranon.