THE Cebu City Council has ordered the four-month suspension of Mambaling Barangay Captain Gines Abellana, after finding him guilty of abuse of authority.

In a report, the committee of three headed by Councilor Sisinio Andales imposed the suspension and ordered its immediate execution after they found Abellana liable for withholding the salaries of four barangay councilors.

The City Council directed the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) Secretary and the City Treasurer to implement the suspension.

Abellana, who is allied with Partido Barug, withheld the salaries of Barangay Councilors Anne Marie Palomo, Edwil Managbanag, Victoriano Laborte and Neonita Cuestas, who are allied wtih Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan.

Abellana said the four barangay councilors refused to render services as officer of the day in the barangay hall on designated days of the week and violated Section 392 of the Local Government Code, which requires barangay councilors to assist the barangay captain in the discharge of duties and functions.

Abellana required his seven councilors to render at least five hours a week of service as officer of the day. Abellana said the four did not render the service.

In response, the four barangay councilors relayed their reasons to Abellana why they were not able to serve on the said dates.

Palomo signed a marginal note on the memorandum sent by Abellana asking the latter to take up the matter during the regular session while Managbanag wrote a letter telling the barangay captain that he had to attend a house blessing. Laborte said he had to attend to his buy-and-sell business, while Cuestas had an appointment with her niece from Denmark on the days she was supposed to go on duty as officer of the day.

Palomo said they did not receive their honoraria for six months, which led them to file a complaint before the City Council.

Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella said the SP Secretary should ask the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) about this.

“The City Council can do disciplinary actions against the barangay councils, but as to the implementation of the suspension, I think DILG should resolve it first,” he said. (RVC)