Zubiri ally takes back Bukidnon’s No. 2 post

MALAYBALAY City — Bukidnon Vice Gov. Rogelio Quiño has reported back to work after the Court of Appeals reversed an earlier ruling by the Ombudsman dismissing him for grave misconduct.

In a resolution, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan on Tuesday cited Quiño’s Oct. 18 letter to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) asking for his reinstatement as vice governor.

Quiño, who was the running mate of Gov. Jose Ma. Zubiri Jr. in 2016, served only less than 10 months after the Ombudsman dismissed him for grave misconduct.

The dismissal stemmed from a case filed against him and another coespondent when he was town mayor of Manolo Fortich.

Upon Quiño’s dismissal, provincial board member Alex Calingasan assumed the vacated post. Calingasan, the most senior among all SP members in terms of garnered votes, did not object to Quiño’s reinstatement.

In approving his resumption of office, provincial board member Oliver Owen Garcia explained that the SP took cognizance of the vice governor’s request to Interior Secretary Eduardo Año to formally reinstate him.

In Quiño’s letter to the Department of the Interior and Local Government, dated Oct. 18, the vice governor cited the Oct. 15 decision of the CA dismissing the grave misconduct case filed against him.

Interestingly, Quiño did not attach the copy of the CA judgment reversing the Ombudsman’s ruling in his request to the SP.

Still, Garcia said they anticipate the DILG reinstatement order to arrive within a week, adding that there was no harm with the legislative body’s action to allow the vice governor’s return.

Besides, Garcia said no party has opposed Quiño’s re-assumption of office.

Another board member, Nemesio Beltran Jr., said there is no law prohibiting nor authorizing the SP to reinstate the vice governor.

Quiño and Zubiri will be running mates again in next year’s elections. (PNA)