Legal options; PLO gives legal opinion over La Castellana councilor’s absences

Posted by watchmen
October 18, 2023
Posted in HEADLINE

 

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Negros Occidental Provincial Legal Office (PLO) gave a legal opinion over La Castellana Councilor Donato Dumaguit’s consecutive absences from regular sessions of the Sangguniang Bayan (SB).

PLO head Atty. Alberto Nellas, Jr. said La Castellana Mayor Rhumylla Mangilimutan has several options to take, either filing an administrative complaint against Dumaguit before the Negros Occidental Sangguniang Panlalawigan, or referring the complaint through the SB, based on internal rules.

Nellas said Mangilimutan could decide what steps she would take, as she could even file complaints before the town and provincial council.

He added that there is no need to wait until the end of the election period before they can file an administrative complaint, as the election ban only covers the suspension and removal of a government official from his or her post.

Dumaguit is now under threat of expulsion from the La Castellana SB, after he failed to attend the town council’s six regular and one special sessions.

Dumaguit went into hiding after he was allegedly involved in the controversial Philippine National Police (PNP) recruitment scam in the town last month.

However, he denied involvement in the scam, as he discovered an alleged assassination plot against him.

At least 16 of the 47 victims have filed charges against Dumaguit, and Mary Jun delos Santos, the alleged primary suspect in the scam.

The victims sought assistance after they paid a significant amount of money, hoping to secure positions within the PNP.

Positions in the Philippine Coast Guard, the Bureau of Fire Protection and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology were also allegedly promised./DGB, WDJ

 

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