BACOLOD City Mayor Evelio Leonardia said Thursday, November 30, that the month-long suspension meted by Office of the Ombudsman on three incumbent councilors is a very minor issue and is just a matter of technicality.
"It is one of the hazards of public service. Unfortunately, it happened and I sympathize with them," he said.
The Ombudsman has ordered the suspension for one month and one day of Councilors Em Ang, Sonya Verdeflor, and Wilson Gamboa Jr., and four former councilors, including Jocelle-Batapa Sigue, Roberto Rojas, Alex Paglumotan, and Archie Baribar for simple neglect of duty.
The complaint was filed by former city councilor Juan Ramon Guanzon, also former chairman of Games Amusement Board, after they approved a resolution authorizing the holding of cockfights on certain dates contrary to a city ordinance on April 25, 2016.
The Ombudsman ruling stated that Ang, Verdeflor, Gamboa, Batapa-Sigue, Rojas, Paglumotan, and Baribar were found administratively liable for simple neglect of duty and are meted a penalty of suspension for a period of one month and one day, without pay, with a stern warning that repetition or commission of the same or similar offense would be dealt with more severely.
In the event that the penalty of suspension can no longer be enforced due to respondents separation from service, the penalty shall be converted into a fine.
"I wish that it were not a suspension and it should have been just at the very least, a warning only," Leonardia said.
The mayor noted that he heard about the complaint, and he wished and hoped that it will not push through because the respondents have also legal remedies.
However, he said the order was already served by the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
"I feel that they are just in a sense, victim of circumstances," Leonardia said.
He said the councilors have already filed their motion for reconsideration and temporary restraining order before the Court of Appeals.
In his letter-complaint, Guanzon stated that the respondents passed City Council Resolution 08-16-109, approving the Barangay Tangub Resolution 16-103, Series of 2016, entitled "Resolution to hold cockfight (4-cock derby) on April 3, 4, and 5, in connection with the Barangay Tangub Fiesta and to authorize the village chief to hold the same, in violation of City Ordinance 506 considering that Barangay Tangub's fiesta falls every May 15 while the Barangay Charter Day is in the month of September."
Guanzon, who owns a cockpit, claimed that by approving Resolution 08-16-109, respondents committed abuse of authority and/or ignorance of the law.
Guanzon said over RMN Bacolod on Thursday that he has nothing personal with the respondents and he only wanted to protect his business interest.
"It was not my intention to file a complaint, but they continued with issuing permits to the barangays cockfighting," he said.