DILG recognizes new Ecija town mayor

PANTABANGAN, Nueva Ecija, Philippines –The Department of the Interior and Local Governments (DILG) has acknowledged the vice mayor here as the new mayor.

In a memorandum dated Sept. 11, but released only yesterday, DILG Undersecretary for local governments Austere Panadero ordered DILG Region 3 director Florida Dijan to recognize Vice Mayor Ruben Huerta in place of Lucio Uera, who had been dismissed.  

Huerta should be recognized as acting Pantabangan mayor “unless otherwise directed by the Office of the Ombudsman or until further orders from the court,” according to the memorandum.

Dijan said Panadero’s order followed a letter of Assistant Ombudsman Asryman Rafanan dated Aug. 28, saying the 60-day temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by the Court on Appeals (CA) to Huerta had lapsed.

“With the lapse of the TRO and the absence of a writ of preliminary injunction, no court order appeared to be forthcoming… the court…found no urgent ground or cogent reason to restrain further,” Panadero’s letter stated.

Huerta had assumed office as acting mayor on May 25, but the provincial government said it would not recognize his assumption without any directive from the DILG and the CA.

Uera, who was dismissed over the illegal termination of municipal employees in 2005, refused to step down.