By Glenda SOLOGASTOA
ILOILO City – It was no judgment day for Maasin, Iloilo’s Mayor Mar Malones yet as the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP), a quasi-judicial body, failed to rule on complaints filed against him.
The promulgation of the verdict has been moved from Aug. 26 to Sept. 9.
In 2002, Malones terminated the employment of Elsa Maternal as the town’s assistant human resource management officer.
She lodged an administrative complaint against him for oppression, misconduct in office, dishonesty, and abuse of authority.
According to 2nd District Board member June Mondejar, the SP cancelled its Aug. 26 schedule to give way to the State of the Province Address of Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr.
The SP met on Aug. 27 supposedly to finalize their decision but ran short of coming up with a consensus.
“We could not give our final decision then due to the conflicting views of Board members,” said Mondejar. “We will meet again, probably on Sept. 2, to settle the matter.”
Maternal also filed a separate complaint against Malones before the Civil Service Commission (CSC) for dismissing her without valid reasons.
CSC cited Malones for indirect contempt because he had illegally abolished Maternal’s position.
Later, the CSC handed down a decision favoring Maternal and ordered Malones to reinstate her.
Maternal claimed the municipal government had to pay her P6 million.
Seeking further justice, Maternal brought the matter to the SP.
Under the Local Government Code, the Provincial Board has the power to recommend the suspension or dismissal of a certain local government official.
But the approval of the recommendation would depend on the governor or the Department of Interior and Local Government.
Mondejar said the Committee of the Whole chaired by Vice Gov. Raul Tupas will first have to finish its committee report.
In an earlier radio interview, the vice governor admitted that some of SP members found it hard to decide.
Tupas said they were keenly looking into the crucial determination of facts and narration of events from both parties involved./PN
