ANGELES CITY -- The Court of Appeals has reinstated its order stopping former Mayor Francis Nepomuceno from donating government service vehicles to various entities.
In a resolution promulgated on July 30, 2010, the Special 14th Division of the Appellate Court headed by Associate Justice Antonio Villamor stated that "the court sets aside its June 18, 2010 decision and that the petition is reinstated."
The petition that stops Nepomuceno from donating government service vehicles to various barangays, teachers' cooperatives, urban poor organizations and civil society groups has been dismissed by the Court of Appeals.
Vice-Mayor Vicky Vega-Cabigting and Councilors Willie Rivera, Maricel Morales, Jesus Sangil and former councilor Ruben Maniago filed the petition last month.
The petition was filed against Nepomuceno, then city Councilors Ricardo Zalamea, Ares Yabut, Rodolfo Simeon, Agapito del Rosario, Robin Nepomuceno, Carl John Miranda and re-elected councilors Danilo Lacson and Arvin Suller.
Vega-Cabigting and her camp filed the TRO to stop the Nepomuceno administration from further donating properties owned by the City Government.
The petitioners filed a motion for reconsideration of the Appellate Court's June 18 resolution dismissing the petition based on "technical infirmities."
Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan welcomed the court's recent ruling saying the properties of the City Government should be returned.
"Those vehicles should not have been donated in the first place, because we need them. As a matter of fact, I am using my own private car in going to and from the city hall," the mayor said.
He added that the City Government can donate vehicles only if they are "unserviceable."
"At this point where the city coffers are empty, we cannot afford to purchase new vehicles," Pamintuan explained.
Last month, service vehicles that were donated to some recipients have been returned to the City Government.
Among those who returned their vehicles were Barangay chiefs John Sladky of Agapito Del Rosario, Allan De Guzman of Sto. Rosario, Arturo Candelaria of Cuayan, Gerome Costales of Amsic and Carlos Dela Cruz of Pampang.
The Angeles City Police Office (ACPO) has also returned three vehicles donated to their office.
"I hope other recipients would decide to return their donated vehicles and not wait for the court's action," the mayor said. (Reynaldo G. Navales)