ILOILO City – Barangay Captain Keith “Dabing” Espinosa of Monica Blumentritt, City Proper wanted to again extend her leave of absence, this time for eight months. But Mayor Jose Espinosa III rejected her application.
“I will not sign (the leave application) anymore. Either she resign or return as barangay captain,” said the mayor yesterday.
In 2016 Espinosa was investigated by the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) for the proliferation of illegal drugs in her barangay. It found her liable for grave misconduct and gross neglect of duty.
Espinosa, whose husband Jesus “Jing-jing” Jr. is a nephew of the mayor, took a leave of absence for a month from July 21 to Aug. 21 and extended this for three more months, up to Nov. 21.
In her leave application, the barangay captain cited “some personal matters to attend to” and designated Barangay Councilman Antonio Espinosa as acting barangay captain.
“Kalawig na. If you want to serve, serve. If you cannot serve, you resign,” said Mayor Espinosa when asked why he did not approve the barangay captain’s third application.
Despite the illegal drugs issue hounding her, Espinosa won her reelection bid in the May 2018 barangay election. But in July, she said in a radio interview she feared for her safety.
A fellow barangay captain that the SP also investigated in 2016 for alleged illegal drug links – Barangay Bakhaw, Mandurriao’s Remia Prevendido Gregori – was shot to death by unidentified armed men on June 24.
The mayor announced his rejection of Espinosa’s third leave of absence application during a meeting with barangay anti-illegal drug abuse councils yesterday at the city government-run Jubilee Hall on Mabini Street.
“I told the barangay officials nga ang Presidente tatlo ang hambal sa akon. Una gid droga, ikaduha corruption kag ikatatlo, criminality. So if you’re in any of the three categories, I will not help you,” Mayor Espinosa later told journalists.
On July 11, Barangay Captain Espinosa tried unsuccessfully to have an audience with the Police Regional Office 6 director, Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao, in Camp Delgado to supposedly clear her name from illegal drug allegations.
According to Bulalacao, intelligence reports linking Espinosa to illegal drugs as suspected protector were consistent.
“If she is not involved in illegal drugs, she has nothing to be afraid of,” said Bulalacao.
Under Civil Service rules, government officials and employees can avail themselves of a maximum leave of absence of one year without pay, apart from leave credits available.
According to Atty. Ferdinand Panes, chief of the Department of Interior and Local Government – Iloilo City, if a government official or employee fails to return to work after his or her approved leave of absence expires, he or she may be held liable for abandonment of function./PN
