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[av_heading heading=’Mayor Espinosa has no ‘baggage’ – Palace ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
BY PRINCE GOLEZ
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Monday, November 6, 2017
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MANILA – Malacañang welcomed the assumption to office of new Iloilo City mayor Jose Espinosa III.
New presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Espinosa was “qualified, fit and without baggage.”
Espinosa replaced Jed Patrick Mabilog whom President Rodrigo Duterte accused of being a drug coddler.
Roque, whose mother – a Lopez – hailed from Jaro district, expressed confidence that Espinosa would “make a great mayor.”
The human rights lawyer and former Kabayan party-list representative told Panay News he would visit Iloilo often to address the Ilonggos’ various concerns.
The Office of the Ombudsman dismissed Mabilog from government service after finding him guilty of “serious dishonesty.”
According to the Ombudsman, Mabilog failed to explain the P8.9-million increase in his net worth from 2012 to 2013.
President Duterte welcomed Mabilog’s ouster but expressed misgivings.
“Tingnan mo si Mabilog…The Ombudsman, in a very, very late gesture para kunyari sinuportahan nila ko, fired, stripped him of his mayorship,” the President said in a speech in Davao City on Oct. 27.
Mabilog had been out of the country since Aug. 30. According to his wife Maria Victoria, they left for security reasons. She declined to disclose their location.
The Ombudsman earned Duterte’s ire for initiating an investigation on his alleged hidden wealth.
The Ombudsman decision dismissing Mabilog from government service was approved by Overall Deputy Ombudsman Melchor Arthur Carandang.
Carandang was leading the Ombudsman investigation on Duterte’s alleged multibillion-peso bank accounts. The probe stemmed from Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV’s complaint against the President.
Duterte, during the installation of new officers and induction of new members of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Davao City Chapter, publicly rebuked Carandang. He said, “Imagine this Carandang, magdasal ka lang Carandang. I’m not threatening you. ‘Pag ka nagka-leche leche ang Pilipinas uunahin kita.”/PN
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