Pampanga mayor suspended for graft now a fugitive
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—Authorities failed to arrest suspended Mayor Abundio “Jun” Punsalan Jr. of San Simon town in Pampanga when they served two warrants last Friday for graft and malversation of public funds in connection with the alleged unlawful purchase of a P45-million property in 2023.
Punsalan was not seen or found in any of his three known addresses in San Simon and Metro Manila when the warrants issued by the Sandiganbayan’s First Division were served starting at 7 p.m., Pampanga police director Col. Eugene Marcelo confirmed in a phone interview on Monday.
“The search for Punsalan will continue, and his arrest can be carried out by any officer of the law,” Marcelo said.
Dated Nov. 17, the arrest warrant for graft allows bail of P90,000, while the other criminal case carries no bail.
Both warrants were issued and signed by First Division acting chair Bayani Jacinto, copies obtained by the Inquirer showed.
Punsalan or his lawyer did not answer calls or issue any media statement.
Suspension
The Office of the Ombudsman suspended Punsalan for six months beginning last October for grave misconduct.
The cases involve the purchase of a P45-million parcel of private land without authority from the municipal council. His coaccused is Jian Jebie Reyes Lim, the alleged landowner.
The mayor reportedly could not justify the purchase, and the Pampanga provincial board had earlier suspended him over the same issue.
More cases piled up against him after the National Bureau of Investigation arrested him in an extortion sting last August.
The supposed victim, a Filipino Chinese executive of Real Steel Corp., alleged that the mayor demanded an advance of P30 million and sought a second payout of P80 million to “ensure the continued operations of the corporation in San Simon and [Punsalan’s] noninterference in the implementation of the local tax incentive ordinances.”
Punsalan is also subject to a hold departure order dated Nov. 17, according to the warrants.
