THE Office of the Ombudsman has directed the Department of the Interior and Local Government to implement the one-month suspension order against the incumbent mayor and two municipal officials of Magallanes, Agusan del Norte for illegally disconnecting the electrical lines of several households of Barangay Caloc-an.
The Ombudsman bared that a suspension order was issued against incumbent Magallanes Mayor Demosthenes Arabaca, Municipal Engineer Jerry Delicano, and Fire Marshall Pablo Tresfuentes.
Based on a nine-page decision, the Ombudsman found the officials guilty of simple misconduct since the disconnection order was allegedly made even without any valid authority.
The decision stated “in passing these ordinances, the Municipal Council of Magallanes did not intend to give any of the municipal officials the power to disconnect electrical lines, there is thus, sufficient ground to believe that respondent Mayor acted beyond his authority.”
Simple Misconduct is defined as a transgression of some established rule of action, an unlawful behavior, or negligence committed by a public officer.