Sunday, July 09, 2006
Palace exec quits over Baguio mayor's suspension
By Jane Cadalig and Ernie Olson Jr.
BAGUIO CITY -- A Cabinet official has thrown his support for Mayor Braulio Yaranon against the one-year suspension by resigning from his post.
While Yaranon's political rivals and critics might be welcoming his suspension with glee, Secretary Silvestre Afable, Cabinet Officer for Regional Development (Cord)-Cordillera, quit his current position to express his bitterness over the suspension.
"I have resigned (because) of my disagreement with the Office of the President over the suspension of Yaranon in the Jadewell case," Afable said in a statement released Saturday.
The Secretary's resignation, effective June 26, was submitted to Malacañang through Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita.
"I have supported Mayor Yaranon in his crusade for against dirty politics and governance, and I shall support him in his quest for justice. I praise him for his statesmanship in accepting the action of the Palace and in seeking lawful relief," Afable stressed as he thanked "all those who worked with me as Cord-CAR, the local executives, members of civil society and sectoral leaders, in serving the interest of the region and its people. All have shown unity, teamwork and great patriotism."
Afable is also the chief negotiator on the peace talks between the government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
On Tuesday, Yaranon received the copy of his suspension, which was signed by Ermita last June 26. The two six-month suspension, Ermita said, should "be served successively but not beyond June 30, 2007."
But Yaranon said he is still the city's local chief executive, claiming that the "suspension is effective only after the period of appeal."
In a letter to city department heads dated July 5, Yaranon also said that since no appeal has been perfected yet, he should continue to act and perform his duties as mayor.
He directed concerned offices to act accordingly on all documents and matters approved and signed by him.
Yaranon was suspended for grave misconduct and abuse of authority for issuing an executive order on July 1, 2004, directing motorists not to pay parking fees, and another order mandating the police to bar Jadewell from implementing its business along the city's streets.
The mayor's suspension was anchored on his actions against Jadewell when he issued Executive Order 001-04, which directs the public motorists to disobey Ordinance 003-2000 or the Pay Parking System.
He also issued another executive order on July 8, 2004, enjoining the director of the Baguio City Police Office to stop and prevent further actions of Jadewell in pursuing its pay parking business in the city despite violating certain basic contractual and vested rights of Jadewell.
Meanwhile, former Mayor Bernardo Vergara, meanwhile, hit the Tongtongan Ti Umili - Cordillera Peoples Alliance for alleging that he has something to do with Yaranon's suspension.
"This is so unfair. Up to the present, he and his supporters continue to blame me and (Baguio Rep. Mauricio) Domogan for this and that alleged anomaly, but after two years in office, this still all remain as baseless accusations. If these are really true, his first executive order when he assumed office then should have been issued against us and not against Jadewell," he stressed.
Vergara said Yaranon "is reaping the consequences" of his actions, which include the filing of four separate libel charges against him for which damages in the amount of P206-million is being sought.
"They say that we are afraid that the evidences of Mayor Yaranon against us are enough to implicate us in several cases of graft and corruption which would necessarily mean a dreadful end of our political careers. We are not afraid of him or his political supporters because there is nothing for us to be afraid about," he added.
Vergara said he and Domogan should not be blamed for Yaranon's suspension because this was not politically motivated.
"This was the result of his acts in issuing orders against Jadewell which the Office of the President, through the Department of the Interior & Local Governments, found to be illegal and oppressive. This had nothing to do with us at all."(Sun.Star Baguio/Sunnex)
(July 9, 2006 issue)
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