THE term of Dalaguete Mayor Ronald Allan Cesante has ended prematurely following the implementation of a six-month preventive suspension by the Office of the Ombudsman on June 13, 2025.
Cesante, who lost his reelection bid, faces charges of grave abuse of authority and misconduct due to the alleged unauthorized construction of a building.
Following the vacancies, first-ranking councilor Coca Nicohl Bustamante assumed the role of acting mayor; while second-ranking councilor Royce Nikko Cesante is now the acting vice mayor, according to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Cebu.
In an interview on Tuesday, June 24, DILG Cebu Provincial Director Jesus Robel Sastrillo said the implementation of the Ombudsman’s order effectively concludes Cesante’s tenure.
“They (Ombudsman) have the power to suspend by themselves or they can direct any government agency,” said Sastrillo.
In the case of Cesante, it was the Ombudsman who served the suspension order directly to the respondents and not the DILG Cebu Province.
Together with Cesante, Vice Mayor William Lagahit, Councilor Kevin Belandres and nine other municipal officials, were also slapped with a six-month preventive suspension by the Ombudsman.
Both Belandres and Lagahit won their respective reelection bids in the last May 12, 2025 midterm election.
Sastrillo said with the top two positions vacant, the Local Government Code’s rule on succession is now in effect.
He explained that under Republic Act 7160, the first-ranking Sangguniang Bayan (SB) member will assume as acting mayor, while the second-ranking SB member will take on the responsibilities of acting vice mayor.
With the reelection of Lagahit as vice mayor and Belandres as councilor, Sastrillo explained it will be up to the Office of the Ombudsman to determine if their preventive suspension should carry over to the officials’ fresh mandate from the electorate.
He said he will ask the DILG legal office to seek clarification from the Ombudsman on the implementation of the preventive suspension order after newly elected officials assume office on June 30.
“Unauthorized”
The suspensions stem from complaints filed by Jose Moran and Braulio Moran against Cesante, Municipal Assessor Edmund Sentino and members of the Bids and Awards Committee.
The charges include grave abuse of authority, grave misconduct, serious dishonesty, conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, and conduct unbecoming of a public official.
The complaint originated from the unauthorized construction of an “overpriced” warehouse in 2023.
The structure was built on a 4,000-square-meter titled lot belonging to the heirs of Maria Zambrano.
The construction allegedly occurred without the owners’ knowledge or consent, and no deed of conveyance was executed in favor of the Municipality of Dalaguete. There has also been no prior expropriation case involving the lot.
The other officials preventively suspended are the following: Municipal Engineer Expedezitas Lenares, Zoning Officer 2 Essandre Amprad, Administrative Aide 6 Claire Bacala, Local Legislative Staff Officer 2 Loel Fajardo, Municipal Budget Officer Brenda Vergara, Municipal Government Department Head 1 Donald Abraham Lara and Administrative Assistant 5 Cristina Miranda.
Sastrillo explained that the primary purpose of a preventive suspension is to prevent officials from influencing office operations or tampering with documents during an ongoing investigation.
The DILG will maintain its oversight to prevent undue influence or tampering with evidence during the period of suspension.
Sastrillo said Bustamante, who won again as first-ranking municipal councilor in the last elections, might assume as acting vice mayor after June 30, due to the projected temporary vacancy of the post.
If Bustamante assumes as acting vice mayor, at least two seats in the municipal council will be left vacant.
Despite the significant number of preventively suspended elective officials, Sastrillo assured that the quorum of the Municipal Council will not be affected as ex-officio members from the Liga ng mga Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Federation ensure legislative continuity. / EHP