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CITY OF
SAN FERNANDO—Pampanga Gov. Eddie “Among” Panlilio is in
big trouble.
This
developed as Vice Gov. Roseller “Yeng” Guiao, and board
members Crisostomo Garbo, Tarcicio Halili, Arthur
Salalila, Ricardo Yabut, Nelson Calara, Catalina
Bagasina, Ceferino Laus, Edna David, Johnny Quiambao and
Raul Macalino are set to file on Friday multiple charges
against the priest turned governor before the Deputy
Ombudsman for
Central Luzon.
Among
the charges to be filed against Panlilio are dereliction
of duty, gross inexcusable negligence, grave misconduct,
abuse of authority and impropriety in the performance of
duty.
The
charges stemmed from the unanimous approval of the
Sangguniang Panlalawigan on September 21, 2007, of
Ordinance 176, Series of 2007 which provides for the
equitable distribution of the towns’ share of fees-taxes
imposed by the provincial government for the extraction
of quarry materials.
The
provincial board said that upon approval, the ordinance
was forwarded to the governor for his approval, but
Panlilio vetoed the measure and sent to the board his
veto message dated October 1, 2007.
However,
the Sanggunian unanimously voted to override the veto
through Resolution 1022.
On
November 22, 2007, the Sanggunian claimed that Panlilio
“maliciously and unjustifiably” filed an appeal with the
Department of Justice pursuant to Section 187 of
Republic Act 7160, or the Local Government Code (LGC) of
1991, allegedly knowing fully well that it is
“frivolous, baseless and unwarranted.”
However,
Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales dismissed the appeal of
the governor in a resolution dated January 30, 2008.
The
Sanggunian claimed even assuming that the appeal was
proper under Section 187 of the LGC, Panlilio, they
alleged, violated his oath of office and ignored Section
1, Article XI of the Constitution.
With
this, the Sanggunian averred that owing to Panlilio’s
“malicious and felonious” refusal and failure to
implement Ordinance 176 from its date of effectivity,
the towns of Mabalacat, Bacolor, Lubao, Porac and
Floridablanca “were unjustifiably deprived of their
rightful shares equivalent to 30 percent of quarry fees
and taxes imposed and collected by the province within
their respective territorial jurisdiction.”
The
officials also charged Panlilio of violating his oath of
office and trust reposed in him by engaging the services
of private lawyers or a law firm to represent him in his
appeal instead of requiring the provincial attorney to
render such legal services.
This
correspondent tried to reach Panlilio for comment
through his chief of staff Archie Reyes and lawyer Arnel
Manaloto but failed. |
