Antique town mayor to contest Ombudsman’s suspension order
ILOILO CITY – The mayor of Tobias Fornier town in Antique will not take sitting down the six-month preventive suspension imposed against him by the Office of the Ombudsman.
While he voluntarily stepped down from office after receiving the order on Sept. 19, Mayor Ernesto Tajanlangit III said he would contest his suspension before proper authorities.
“My lawyer is now studying my appeal or legal remedy,” he said in an interview on Friday.
The anti-graft office has ordered a six-month preventive suspension of Tajanlangit pending investigation of the allegation that he punched Vice Mayor Jose Maria Fornier in the face during an altercation over the distribution of food packs for victims of the prolonged dry spell caused by the El Niño phenomenon last April 29.
The Ombudsman, in its order, found sufficient grounds to suspend Tajanlangit so he would not be able to coerce possible witnesses or tamper other documentary evidence during the course of the investigation.
The suspension took effect on Sept. 19.
Timing questioned
Tajanlangit questioned the timing and circumstances of the suspension.
“I am wondering why I received a complaint yesterday along with an order from the Ombudsman to submit my counter-affidavit within ten days,” he said on Friday.
Tajanlangit said he suspected political maneuvering was involved because his suspension order came from central office of the antigraft body when the original complaint against him was lodged with the Office of the Ombudsman in the Visayas.
While Tajanlangit’s suspension is in effect, Vice Mayor Fornier has taken over as acting mayor while town Councilor Rene Sandig Magdaog is acting vice mayor.
The case against Tajanlangit stemmed from a complaint filed by Fornier for allegedly violating Republic Act 6713 also known as the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.
Fornier accused Tajanlangit of raising his voice and punching him in the face over an argument on who should oversee the distribution of 500 food packs from the Department of Social Welfare and Development for families affected by the drought.
The province was under a state of calamity due to the El Niño when the altercation happened.
Tajanlangit defended his actions, stating that the food packs were being distributed without adhering to “proper protocol.”
He maintained that his intervention was necessary to ensure that procedures were followed and rejected claims that the incident was politically motivated.
