Ombudsman suspends Kalinga governor, mayor

TABUK CITY – The Office of the Ombudsman recently suspended the Kalinga provincial governor and  a town mayor  over separate cases

Gov. Jocel Baac of Kalinga province was served a six-month suspension by the Dept. of the Interior and Local Government Tuesday after being found guilty of administrative violations by the Office of the Ombudsman.

After serving Baac the suspension order, DILG-Cordillera Administrative Region director Marlo Iringan administered the oath of Vice Gov. James Edduba to assume the post as acting governor.

Likewise, lawyer Shirlynne Alunday took her oath as acting vice governor.

Last May 30, the OMB issued the memorandum for Baac’s suspension after being found administratively liable for cases of simple misconduct, abuse of authority and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

The governor’s suspension stemmed from the previous court case filed against him by former vice governor Allen Jesse Mangaoang who is now Kalinga congressman.

The penalty meted out on Baac stated he was being suspended without pay.

Meanwhile, the mayor of Rizal, Kalinga  was also suspended for 90 days.

Marcelo de la Cruz Jr. was found guilty of simple misconduct, the Office of the Ombudsman said. 

In an eight-page ruling recently approved by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, graft probers said De la Cruz authorized the release of funds from the savings of the municipal government for the grant of cash gifts and incentives to municipal and barangay employees in 2014 in violation of Section 336 of the Local Government Code.    

The ombudsman said a mayor could not use the savings of the local government to augment an item provided in the municipal budget.

Sangguniang Bayan members Rogelio Lawad, Robert Echalar, Frank Wad-asen, Colin Dalanao and Ponz Anthony Orodio filed the complaint.