Mexico town acting mayor assumes office

MEXICO, Pampanga - Acting Mayor Roy Manalastas buckled down to work early Tuesday morning starting the day by issuing his first memorandum to employees, signing pending documents, and listening to the needs of hundreds of Mexico folks.

Manalastas worked at the Municipal Council session hall, as the Mayor’s Office was still locked and Municipal Government employees cleaning and securing the personal belongings of suspended Mayor Teddy Tumang.

Manalastas, who will serve as acting mayor for three months, issued a memorandum to all department heads and municipal employees, pertaining to his assumption of the post effective Tuesday, Oct. 30.

“By virtue of the Decision rendered by the Office of the Ombudsman dated November 8, 2010 (approved by Hon. Acting Ombudsman Orlando C. Casimiro on June 13, 2011), in the case entitled ‘Eduardo T. Batac versus Teddy C. Tumang, Rafael Yabut and Pantaleon Martin docketed as OMB-L-A-06-0186-C,’ respondent Mayor C. Tumang has been found guilty of violation of Section 5(a) of RA 6713, otherwise known as the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and was imposed/meted the penalty of suspension for a period of three months without pay and the Office of the Provincial Director of the Department of Interior and Local Government caused the immediate implementation of that Order in a memorandum addressed to Mayor Teddy C. Tumang dated October 25, 2012 and posted in Municipal Hall bulletin board on October 29, 2012,” the memo stated.

Manalastas also noted that he was to act as officer-in-charge of the local government unit while Tumang’s suspension is in effect, unless the Court says otherwise.

“In this connection, all department heads and employees of the Municipality of Mexico, Province of Pampanga, are hereby enjoined and directed only the orders and directives of the undersigned [Manalastas] in all matters pertaining to the operation of the municipality, particularly in the delivery of essential public services,” the memorandum stressed.

Open door policy, transparency

Manalastas summoned an emergency meeting of department heads at 2 p.m. Tuesday where he discussed with officials what has to be done in the next 90 days.

He earlier vowed to make good use of the period to make Mexicanos feel “genuine service that have been deprived of them” in the past.

The acting mayor told Sun.Star Pampanga that the doors of the municipal hall shall be open to all in need of assistance, and that every transaction would be conducted in utmost transparency.

Support

Employees and department heads, meanwhile, pledged to support Manalastas while he is acting mayor. Even Police Chief Angelito Esteban has accorded the acting local chief executive the support of police, especially in security, peace and order, much that the assumption of the post on Tuesday was relatively peaceful.

“I would like to thank all officials and employees for their promise of support. I also promise na walang matatanggal na empleyado ng municipal government during the period. Gagawin po natin ang ating makakaya sa panahong ibinigay sa atin bilang acting mayor,” Manalastas said.