SP suspends Brgy 31 chief, kagawad

Two officials from Barangay 31 were meted with a four-month suspension for dishonesty and grave misconduct.

This as the 20th City Council, on its 49th regular session yesterday presided over by Vice Mayor Bebot Rodriguez, passed a resolution adopting the decision of the Committee on Ethics and Blue Ribbon which imposed a four-month suspension upon Punong Barangay Diosdado T. Wabe and Appropriations Committee Chair Barangay Kagawad Della T. Wabe, after finding them guilty of dishonesty and grave misconduct.

The case stemmed from the complaint of Barangay Kagawads Lee Elumba Nellas, Rogelio M. Waniwan, and Flordeliz M. Java for an alleged ghost activity, particularly the conduct of a basketball league from the November 1-31, 2018 with a budget of P151,780.00.

The Committee found out that there was indeed irregularity in the implementation of the project based on the evidence presented as the activity was not conducted in the Barangay 31 basketball court and the participants were not residents of the barangay.

Further, “respondents neither submitted nor presented any evidence to prove that there was no anomaly in the open basketball league project. They relied heavily on the argument that the allegations against them are based on hearsay.”

The suspension imposed by the Committee is based on Section 60, Chapter 4 of the Local Government Code which provides that, “an elective local official may be disciplined, suspended or removed from office on any of the following grounds: (c) Dishonesty, oppression, misconduct in office, gross negligence, or dereliction of duty.”

The decision, which was signed by Councilors Edgar Cabanlas, Roger Abaday, Romeo Calizo, and Girlie Balaba, concluded that, “Barangay Officials are grassroot leaders of this City. As leaders and elected officials, they are mandated by the Constitution to serve with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and efficiency.”

Councilor Jose Pepe P. Abbu, Jr., however, entered his dissent as he did not find enough evidence to support the allegations in the complaint.