LA UNION – Isinuspinde ng Office of the Ombudsman ang alkalde ng San Fernando City, La Union dahil sa maanomalyang paggastos umano nito sa pondo ng lokal na pamahalaan.
Nag-ugat ang preventive suspension matapos irekomenda ng Department of Interior and Local Government dahil sa ieklamo ng isang kapitan laban si Mayor Hermigildo Gualberto.
Ayon kay Samuel Jucar, kapitan ng Brgy. Cadaclan, hindi ginamit ng tama ni Gualberto ang development fund ng San Fernando City noong 2018.
Nabatid kasi na ginastos lang daw ito sa rehabilitasyon ng city plaza.
Samantala, dumepensa naman ang inaakushang alkalde.
Ayon kay Gualberto, natanggap na niya ang kautusan at umapela dahil hindi umano siya binigyan ng panahon para tumugon dito.
“Today we received an order from the Office of the Ombudsman informing us that starting today, I am preventively suspended from performing the functions of the office for which you have elected me,” mensahe ng incumbent mayor.
“This preventive suspension emanates from a case which I have never seen or been given the opportunity to examine or oppose. It also comes with undue haste and at a suspicious time – two weeks shy of the elections. This is why I cannot shake off the feeling that this malicious persecution is designed to humiliate your manong, your kabagis, your mayor in the eyes of the people.”
“However, I have personally gotten to know a lot of you to trust that the people of San Fernando know better than to believe decoys and diversions. My faith is in you, my brothers and sisters, knowing that you will not allow this plot to succeed.”
“We have gone a long way in bringing about reforms and I believe that this is nothing but a tiny bump in our journey to build a city that we can all proudly call home.”
