Town dad sworn in as acting Bamban mayor

MANILA – Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. on Wednesday swore in municipal councilor Erano Timbang as acting mayor of Bamban, Tarlac.

Timbang took his oath before Abalos in simple rites in Camp Crame, a day after the Office of the Ombudsman dismissed mayor Alice Guo for grave misconduct over her alleged links to the operations of raided Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) in the town.

Abalos said Vice Mayor Leonardo Anunciacion, who is supposed to take over the post, was also suspended by the Ombudsman for three months for conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

Aside from Anunciacion, the Ombudsman also found nine councilors of the town guilty of the same offense and were also meted with a three-month suspension.

“We go by succession, however, kung wala ang mayor (If the mayor is out), it should be the vice mayor. Pero ang vice mayor ay suspended ng tatlong buwan, ang problema kung suspended ng tatlong buwan sino ang pipirma sa mga pasweldo, tubig, kuryente, kinakailangang permit so maglalagay muna kami ng uupo ng tatlong buwan (But the vice mayor is suspended for three months. The problem is if he is suspended for three months, who would sign payrolls, payments for water and electricity bills, necessary permits so we placed somebody who will sit for three months),” Abalos said in an interview.

Timbang was the only councilor left in the town's council and was the sole dissenter to the grant of permits to the POGO hub Zun Yuan Technology Inc., which was raided by authorities in March this year.

Abalos said he has ordered the creation of a screening committee to search for temporary replacements for the suspended councilors.

Timbang, meanwhile, assured continuity of services under his stint as acting mayor. (PNA)