By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Following the decision by President Rodrigo Duterte to fire Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Ismael Sueno over corruption allegations, Negros Occidental Vice Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said the Negros Island Region (NIR) lost a champion for the cause.
“NIR’s fate will now depend on who will replace Sueno,” he said.
With the decision on the region’s retention still up in the air, Sueno had been one of NIR’s supporters in the president’s cabinet.
In terms of talks regarding NIR, Negros Occidental Provincial Planning and Development Coordinator, Dr. Maria Lina Sanogal, said there is still a chance for the region, despite Sueno’s dismissal.
“Since there is a cabinet cluster assigned to discuss NIR retention, I do hope the discussions will push through,” she said.
Sanogal added, DILG undersecretaries Jesus Hinlo and Austere Panadero, who are both still with the agency, are both defenders of NIR.
Meanwhile, Negros Occidental Provincial Board Member Salvador Escalante, Jr. released a statement endorsing Hinlo as DILG officer-in-charge.
In a press briefing yesterday, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said Sueno is accused of entering illegal public transactions.
“The president is very serious about restoring trust in the government,” he explained. “The major implication is that the president will not countenance even a whiff of corruption.”
Sueno has since denied the allegations, blaming DILG undersecretaries Hinlo, John Castriciones, and Emily Padilla of being behind the confidential letter claiming he abused his power./WDJ