Tuesday, January 30, 2007 CSC, DILG mum on Armada's absence By Jay Dooma Balnig
THE Civil Service Commission (CSC) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) could not issue any statement on Vice Governor Roberto Armada's failure to report for work.
Almost 14 days after the Court of Appeals granted the issuance of a Temporary Restraining Order in favor of Iloilo Governor Niel Tupas Sr, Armada refused to return to work as vice governor.
Lawyer Ferdinand Panes of the DILG Regional Legal Office said they could no longer issue any statement regarding the status of Armada because the case is pending in court.
Panes said during a vacancy, the next in rank must take over.
Panes added that until now, Armada is still fighting for the issue on his assumption as governor last January 15 and there will be a legal implication on the said case should the he physically assume or return to his office as vice governor.
"As soon as the case is decided, we will know," Panes said in a telephone interview.
Many people are still asking on what Armada's status is because the elected vice governor has not returned to work for two weeks now.
The CSC Regional Office, on the other, could not give any comment because Armada is an elected official and not a career service government employee.
CSC added that the DILG has the authority to answer the issue.
On the other hand, Maria Rita Bascos-Sarabia, counsel for Armada filed her Motion for Reconsideration on the inhibition issue of the sedition charges they filed against Tupas and several others.
In a two-page motion, Sarabia questioned "how swift and in haste the respondents' motion for inhibition was granted (by the government prosecution service)."
She added that the Department of Justice remains to have the authority and jurisdiction on the conduct of preliminary investigation of the said case.
She added "at least 15 eyewitnesses against the respondents testifying to the commission of the criminal acts of sedition by the respondents shall not be unduly burned by distance and expense constraints if they are to be examined for preliminary investigation in another distant province."
Monday, the Court of Appeals in Cebu City heard the arguments of both parties on the certiorari filed by Tupas against DILG, Armada and others opposing Office of the Ombudsman's dismissal order and to the installation of Armada as the governor.
Last Jan. 15, after the Ombudsman ordered for the dismissal of Tupas Sr in relation to two malversation cases against him, the DILG installed Armada as the new governor. On Jan. 17, 2007, a TRO was issued by the CA, giving Tupas 60 days to stay in his post.
