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By Nora Sorino and Sita Asequia of GSD-Iligan bureau,
and Ric Palahang, Contributor

ILIGAN City — The Department of Interior and Local Government yesterday served the Office of the Ombudsman’s order to suspend Roman Catholic priest turned Iligan Vice Mayor Jemar Vera Cruz and most members of the city’s legislature for simple misconduct.

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The suspension order was served around 3 pm by a group led by DILG-Iligan officer Foster Anayron.

The suspension order also applies to councilors Samuel Huertas, Eric Capitan, Jesse Ray Balanay, Demosthenes Plando, Belinda Lim, Sorilie Christine Bacsarpa, Ian Yy, Randy Ryan Francis Ong, Bernard Pacana, Petronilo Pardillo, Renato Ancis, and Diamla Rolando So-ong.

People who gathered at the city hall grounds since Wednesday to support the officials and to keep the DILG off did not stop the DILG from serving the ombudsman’s order.

Vera Cruz and the councilors were ordered suspended for one month and one day in a decision approved by Ombudsman Conchita  Carpio-Morales on Oct. 17, 2017.

As soon as talk spread that the DILG would serve the suspension order on Wednesday, the politicians’ supporters were mobilized, flocked to city hall, and flanked the city’s seat of government.

Many of them were members of the groups Lampornas and Alyansa ng Nagpakakabanang Iliganon. Both groups are closely associated with Mayor Celso Regencia and his political allies in the city council.

Only councilors Queenie Belmonte and Cesarve Siacor were not included as respondents in the complaint filed by former congressman Vicente Belmonte Jr. and former vice mayor Ruderic Marzo. Quennie is the daughter of ex-congressman.

The other respondents in the complaint were not held liable by the ombudsman for conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the interest of the service, dishonesty, grave misconduct, and grave abuse of authority. They are Mayor Regencia, city legal officer Voltaire Rovira, city administrator Dexter Rey Sumaoy, department head Rafael Benedictos, city budget officer Marina Jumalon, and city treasurer  Louela Maybituin.

Belmonte’s complaint stemmed from Regencia’s assumption as mayor while in detention with his alleged involvement in the Dec. 11, 2014 ambush of the then congressman near the Laguindingan airport in Misamis Oriental.

Regencia was subsequently released from detention after the criminal cases against him were dismissed by the courts.

The ombudsman   said that while in detention, Regencia appointed Rovira, Sumaoy and Benedictos, and then the city council concurred the appointments.

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