ILOILO – Effective yesterday Atty. Suzette Mamon, executive assistant of Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr., started serving as acting provincial administrator.
She was appointed to the post following the resignation of Provincial Administrator Raul Banias who resigned to prepare for his mayoralty bid in the municipality of Concepcion.
Banias, a physician by profession, filed before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) of Concepcion his certificate of candidacy as substitute candidate on Nov. 27.
Under Comelec rules, any government official who files a certificate of candidacy shall be considered ipso facto resigned from office.
“By virtue of the powers vested upon me by law, do hereby designate Atty. Suzette Mamon, Attorney III / Executive Assistant III, as Acting provincial administrator of the province of Iloilo,” read part of Defensor’s Executive Order No. 420.
Banias substituted as candidate for mayor Concepcion’s Association of Barangay Councils president Delfin Gregorio who withdrew his candidacy.
Banias and Gregorio both belonged to the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino – Lakas ng Bayan of President Rodrigo Duterte.
Banias started serving as provincial administrator on July 1, 2010 at the start of the first term of Defensor as governor.
He also served as officer-in-charge of the provincial government’s Hospital Management Office and head of two task forces – the Bantay Dagat and the Task Force on Overloading.
“I stayed this long at the provincial government because I loved working with the governor. He never compromised my principles. Honest kag indi sia corrupt, amo na nga nagsahu-anay man kami,” said Banias.
Prior to working at the capitol, Banias served as presidential adviser for Western Visayas during the administration of then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. This was after he completed his three consecutive terms (nine years) as mayor of Concepcion./PN
