Ex-Mayor Waits Suspension, Arrest of VM, Dads

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

SUAL, Pangasinan – The former mayor here wishes that the Ombudsman favors him on the criminal and administrative complaints he filed to the vice mayor and some members of the Sangguniang Bayan (legislature) for their procrastination in the passing of the 2019 Annual Appropriation Budget.

“People of Sual and I wait anytime from now the favorable decision of the Ombudsman against those I sued. Any favorable decision from the Information given by the Ombudsman to the Sandiganbayan (court) means warrant of arrest for the respondents and preventive suspension in their posts,” former mayor Roberto Arcinue told this newspaper.

In June 10, 2019 Arcinue filed at the Ombudsman in Quezon City criminal case of Anti-Graft & Corrupt Practices Act and administrative cases of Conduct Prejudicial to the Best Interest of the Service and Gross Neglect of Duty against then vice mayor Dionisio G. Caburao, Jr., Sangguniang Bayan (SB) members Dionel G. Caburao, Alex I. Osana, Michael John C. Millan, Danilo B. Vinluan, and Emerina O. Taboy.

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte waves goodbye to the five Vietnamese fishermen during the ceremonial send-off of the Vietnamese fisherman at the Sual Wharf and Causeway in Sual, Pangasinan on November 29, 2017. Joining the President are Department of Social Welfare and Development Officer-in-Charge Emmanuel Leyco, Hermogenes Esperon Jr., Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Director Eduardo Gongona, Vietnamese Ambassador to the Philippines Ly Quoc Tuan, Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence Go and Sual Mayor Roberto Arcinue (Extreme Right). ACE MORANDANTE/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

In the July 10, 2019 Order signed by Director Joaquin F. Salazar, he directed the respondents to file their respective counter-affidavits on the criminal and administrative cases.

Recall that in January 15, 2019, February 11, 2019, and May 15, 2019 then mayor Arcinue wrote then Vice Mayor Caburao, the members of the SB, SB Secretary Wilma A. Asuncion for the urgent passing and approving of an ordinance authorizing the annual budget of the first class town for Three Hundred and Fifty Million Pesos (Php 350, 000,000.00).

In his February 11 letter, the former chief executive said that the services in the field of agriculture, education, infrastructure, and livelihood were dependent on the approval of such.

“Even the permanent deployment of doctors and nurses at the Sual Primary Care Facility (PCF) relies on its passing. Our constituents deserve to have the medical assistance to be provided by these doctors, most specially those who are under-privileged and destitute of financial resources,” he continued.

In his May 15 letter Arcinue cited that it was already been seven months and ten days since then, causing the same length of delay of the delivery of services to our people.

In the May 16, 2019 Election respondents and former councilor Dioneil Caburao and former vice mayor Dionesio Caburao won for the  vice mayoralty and membership in the SB while councilors Alex Osana and Danilo Vinluan were reelected.

Arcinue did not seek reelection in the May 16 poll but his son John and grandson John Christopher Arcinue lost and won, respectively, in the mayorship and membership in the SB.

Those who won the 2019 poll, their positions, party, and number of votes they gained:

Mayor Liseldo Calugay                 (Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP): 12,101 votes)

Vice Mayor Dioneil Caburao       (PDP: 12, 788)

Councilors

1. Dionesio Caburao, Jr.              (PDP, 12, 171)

2. John Christopher Arcinue        (Nationalista Party (NP): 11,947)

3. Raymundo Edrosalan              (NP 10,917)

4. Alex Osana                             (PDP: 10,237)

5. Danilo Vinluan                        (PDP: 9,793)

6. Ayra Tomagoy                        (NP: 9, 661)

7. Dong Garcia                           (NP: 9, 563)

8. Mikelmax Millan                      (PDP: 9, 202)

In case the Ombudsman favors the complainant and suspend the respondents, the landscape in the August chamber will see the Nationalista Party dominates the legislation.

An excerpt on the Rules of Criminal Procedure says: Within five (5) days from his (investigating prosecutor)  resolution, he shall forward the record… to the Ombudsman or his deputy in cases of offenses cognizable by the Sandiganbayan in the exercise of its original jurisdiction. They shall act on the resolution within ten (10) days from their receipt thereof and shall immediately inform the parties of such action. (Section 12, Rule 112).

“With a favorable decision on the cases I filed, I hope the Sandiganbayan and the high court’s sustain it to be an example to other members of the Sangguniang Bayans all over the country not to emulate,” Arcinue told this writer.

  
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Former Sual VM, Dads Sued at Ombudsman