Ecija mayor nixes suspension order

CUYAPO, Nueva Ecija, Philippines – Mayor Amado Corpuz Jr. yesterday denied a supposed order coming from the Office of the Ombudsman directing the Department of the Interior and Local Government suspending him for six months for allegedly masterminding the cold-blooded killing of a municipal employee in 2008.

“What suspension order? I have not received any,” Corpuz reacted when informed of newspaper reports that he had been ordered suspended pending investigation of the murder on June 4,2008 of Angelito Espinosa.

Newspaper reports quoted acting Ombudsman Orlando Casimiro as saying there is enough ground to suspend Corpuz for six months pending investigation of the case.

Espinosa was shot dead following an altercation inside the municipal compound with Corpuz’s bodyguard Carlito Samonte who is detained at the provincial jail while facing murder charges before the Guimba regional trial court in connection with the cold-blooded slaying.

Espinosa’s widow Priscilla filed charges of grave misconduct against Corpuz after a witness, Alexander Lozano claimed he saw and heard the mayor order Samonte to shoot Angelito, even handing to him a stainless gun supposedly used in the killing.

In his counter-affidavit, Corpuz denied any participation in Espinosa’s killing. He said the shooting incident was a matter between the victim and Espinosa and Lozano’s allegations were full of probabilities since he was not even at the crime scene when it happened.

Corpuz said the supposed suspension order, which first broke out last week, has never been delivered to him if any. “If there is such a suspension order, then I would receive it and I would seek legal remedy provided it is done accordance with law,” he said.

He expressed doubts, however, that the order really existed since in the first place, the Commission on Elections had ruled that starting Jan. 10 up to June 9,2010 covering the 150-day election period, none of the 17,640 provincial, city and municipal officials, including barangay officials can be suspended without its approval.

The poll body said whoever makes the suspension will be guilty of an election offense punishable under Section 264 of Batas Pambansa 881 or the Omnibus Election Code with up to a maximum of six years imprisonment not be subject to probation, disqualification to hold public office and deprivation of the right to suffrage. – Manny Galvez