Dingle mayor slapped with 90-day suspension
- TBN News
- Sep 21, 2018
- 2 min read
Dingle Mayor Rufino Palabrica III has been ordered suspended from office for 90 days in relation to two counts of graft filed against him.
The Sandiganbayan Fourth Division directed Palabrica to “cease and desist from performing and or exercising the functions and duties, as well as receiving and or enjoying the salaries, benefits and privileges of her present public position or any other public office or position he may now or hereafter be holding, effective upon notice hereof and continuing for a period of 90 days.”
According to the graft court, Palabrica’s suspension is mandatory under Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
Section 13 of the law states that incumbent public officers who face a valid information under the anti-graft law or the Revised Penal Code should be suspended from office.
The Office of the Ombudsman filed administrative charges against Palabrica for violation of Section 3 of RA 3019.
The charges stemmed from the mayor’s decision to enter into a lease contract with his own drugstore and medical clinic, “Farmacia Francisca”, in January 2014. Palabrica signed both as lessor and lessee.
The Ombudsman ordered the dismissal from public service of Palabrica but the decision was reversed by the Court of Appeals on Feb. 27, 2017.
However, in a resolution dated last Aug. 13, the Sandiganbayan granted the 90-day suspension order against Palabrica for two counts of violation of Section 3 of RA 3019.
The resolution was signed by Associate Justices Sarah Jane Fernandez, Karl Miranda and Kevin Narce Vivero.
Palabrica served as mayor of Dingle for three terms (2007-2010, 2010-2013 and 2013-2016)
He was elected as vice mayor in 2016.
Palabrica regained his mayoral seat in July this year after then mayor Jessie Alecto resigned from office due to health concerns.
SOURCE: Iloilo Metropolitan Times
Special thanks to:
Comments