ACTING Mayor Archie Fuentes and his Vice Mayor Kendall Luke Perez were formally sworn into office in Catbalogan City on Thursday, January 3.
Regional Trial Court Branch 29 Presiding Judge Sibanah Usman led in the oath-taking ceremony.
The instalment of two acting officials came after the preventive suspension order by the Office of the Ombudsman was served to Mayor Stephany Uy-Tan and other local officials over alleged charges from the anti-graft body recently.
The officials faced grave abuse of authority, grave misconduct, gross neglect of duty, and violation of code of conduct and ethical standards for public officials and employees.
On November last year, the Office of the Ombudsman “preventively suspended without pay” for six months Tan, Vice Mayor Art Sherwin Gabon, Councilors Coefredo Uy, Jeffrey Uy, Edward Uy, Christine Escober, Maximo Pescos, Beethoven Bermejo, Nanette Jasmin and other city employees.
The charges stemmed from a complaint that the officials allegedly bought a private agricultural land in an overpriced amount and another complaint filed by the Catbalogan City Public Market Vendors Federation.