2 Abra town mayors suspended by board

BANGUED, Abra – Two town mayors were recently suspended by the provincial board for absenteism.

Both Tineg town Mayor Edwin Crisologo and Dolores town Mayor Albert Guzman were barred by the board, in two separate decisions, from performing their duties for two months.

Crisologo was slapped with an administrative case for dereliction of duty, gross negligence and abandonment of office.

Crisologo filed a motion for reconsideration on the Oct. 3 on the suspension order but the latter presented three witnesses including Oplan Tineg Task Force commander Supt. Ernesto Gaab, assistant town treasurer Teofilo Calubing and a certain Rommel Comodas.

Three other witnesses were also presented before the provincial board: town civil registrar Cosme Calubing, barangay chairman Banjo Calubing and a certain Jimmy Banat.

They testified before the provincial board that after the May 14 elections, “Crisologo’s shadow was not even seen in Tineg.”

The provincial board, in finding the mayor guilty, cited the 15 day unauthorized leave with out formal leave of absence rule which carries punishment of disciplinary action and Articles 79 and 84 of the Rules and Regulations Implementing the Local Government Code of 1991 “on holding office.”

Gov. Eustaqiuo Bersamin forwarded the SP resolution on Crisologo to the Department of Interior and Local Government Abra offices for enforcement of the suspension.

This, as Crisologo’s lawyer Estelita Cordero told the media the suspension was machinated by Crisologo’s political foes.

Cordero said official documents revealed the town center of Tineg is not in Agsimao as claimed by the town mayor’s foes.

She added it is in Cagayanan where Mayor Crisologo is holding office.

The lawyer added the tax declaration of the municipal site is in Agsimao. After suspending Crisologo, the provincial board also suspended Guzman for for gross negligence and abuse of authority.

Vice Gov. Victorino Barona, in memorandum 17 dated Nov. 14, said Guzman was found by the SP en banc guilty of administrative offenses of gross negligence and abuse of authority.

He was ordered “to cease and desist from performing duties and functions” as mayor of Dolores.

Guzman’s post will be taken over for two months by his wife, Socorro, the town’s vice mayor.