POLICE officials led by Chief Supt. Aaron Aquino (center) talk with Monsignor Jemar Veracruz (left), an ally of detained Iligan Mayor Celso Regencia outside the Iligan City jail on in April of 2016. Veracruz and other supporters of Regencia refused to allow the PNP to bring the detained official to a court in Initao, Misamis Oriental for arraignment. The mayor is charged with the ambush of Iligan Rep. Vicente Valmonte on Dec. 11, 2014 in Laguindingan, Misamis Oriental. MindaNews file photo by Froilan Gallardo
- Advertisement -

By NORA SORIÑO
GSD-Iligan Bureau chief .

ILIGAN City–“I am just around.”

- Advertisement -

Thus said Mayor Celso Regencia after the suspension order was served to him last week.

He then lashed out at the local opposition here led by ex-vice mayor Ruderic Marzo and former congressman Vicente Belmonte Jr. whom he said were responsible for his suspension. The suspended mayor said the two won’t stop at nothing just to “demolish” him.

Regencia cited his suspension in April 2015, and that, he said, was “through the maneuverings” of Marzo, Belmonte and their group.

His previous suspension which lasted six months, he said, was due to some “anomalies” which he uncovered and in which he did something about it. Among others, he said, he discovered “ghost employees” in the city council.

An alleged ghost employee, he said, signed special powers of attorney to allow the representative to collect the salary.

Regencia said he did something about the problem by issuing an executive order that directed the department heads that all employees’ claims should pass through the office of the mayor.

He said the order did did not sit well with Marzo’s group and so, they went to the Office of the President to complain. The complaint for abuse of authority, he said, resulted in his 2015 suspension.

It was unclear why Regencia cited a 2015 case that had nothing to do with his recent suspension order.

Meanwhile, Vice Mayor Jemar Vera Cruz, now acting mayor, directed city hall department heads to  “make an inventory of all the casual employees” of the city.

Disclaimer

Mindanao Gold Star Daily holds the copyrights of all articles and photos in perpetuity. Any unauthorized reproduction in any platform, electronic and hardcopy, shall be liable for copyright infringement under the Intellectual Property Rights Law of the Philippines.

- Advertisement -