Mayor Feliciano Legazpi |
NORZAGARAY,
Bulacan—Tension continue to grip this town as the suspended mayor continue to
hold on to his post preventing his vice mayor to assume the position in acting
capacity.
However,
the vice mayor made assurance not to take hostile action noting that he want a
peaceful turn over.
“We
will not undertake a hostile action, dahil sinusunod ko lang ang inuutos ng
batas,” said Vice Mayor Rogelio Santos who was supposed to assume the mayoral
position in acting capacity last week following a six months suspension meted
by the Ombudsman against Mayor Feliciano Legazpi.
Legazpi
was suspended by the Ombudsman based on the charges of oppression and abuse of
authority filed by Yolanda Ervas, the municipal budget officer of Norzagaray.
Santos
said that residents of Norgaray are getting confused on who is the mayor of the
said town.
This
is due to the fact that Legazpi continue to stay in his office and claims that
he is not suspended yet because the Ombudsman has not acted on his motion for
reconsideration.
Acting Mayor Rogelio Santos |
According
to Santos , the resolution of the
Ombudsman is clear and it was echoed in the order issued by the Department of
Interior and Local Government (DILG).
Signed
by Florida Dija, the DILG regional director, the order states that Legazpi is
”hereby directed to cease and desist from exercising the powers and performing
the duties and responsibilities as Mayor of the Norzagaray, Bulacan.”
As
elected vice mayor of Norzagaray,
Santos was directed in the same
order to temporarily assume the function of acting mayor while the suspension
is in effect.
Santos said that he issued a memorandum to all
municipal department heads last week, asking them to report to him, but none
followed.
The
department head still heeds Legazpi who claims that the Ombudsman’s decision
and the DILG order is not final and executory.
Legazpi
also said that he did not personally received the order of the DILG regional
director, instead, it was received by the municipal human resources officer who
later returned the order to the DILG regional office.
Legazpi while performing his duties as mayor |
In
an interview, Legazpi insisted that
Santos ’ moves were premature and politically motivated.
However, Santos
said he not politics in involved in his assumption as acting mayor.
He
even said that he is not running for reelection as vice mayor.
“Kung talagang gusto ko ang posisyon ninyo,
dapat sana ay kumandidato akong mayor, pero ang
kandidatura ko sa 2013 ay para konsehal lang,”
Santos said and reiterated that
he is just following the DILG order.
Santos was first elected as municipal councilor in
the 2004 elections when he ran under the banner of the Aksyon Demokratiko.
In
2007, Legazpi asked him to become his running mate and they won. They were both reelected in 2010 for the same
position. (Dino Balabo)
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