By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Negros Occidental Provincial Legal Office (PLO) said yesterday they recommended the expulsion of La Castellana Councilor Donato Dumaguit from the Sangguniang Bayan (SB).

PLO head Alberto Nellas, Jr. said Dumaguit’s expulsion was a disciplinary action after he failed to attend multiple council sessions.

Nellas said their recommendation was based on the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s local government code.

He said Dumaguit could file a motion for reconsideration.

On Monday, March 18, the La Castellana SB expelled Dumaguit after failing to attend a total of 14 regular sessions.

The expulsion was then concurred by the PLO, based on the SB’s recommendation and decision.

La Castellana Mayor Rhumyla Nicor-Mangilimutan said Dumaguit’s expulsion is not connected to the charges he is currently facing for his alleged involvement in the recruitment scam in the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

In November of last year, the SB slapped Dumaguit with a 15-day suspension and a P3,000 fine due to unexplained absences.

Dumaguit has not showed in the SB’s regular and special sessions after his name was implicated in the scam.

He is now facing charges for large-scale estafa, alongside the alleged primary suspect, identified as Mary Jun delos Santos.

More than 40 individuals sought assistance from authorities after they paid significant amounts to secure positions within the PNP, PCG, as well as in the Bureau of Fire Protection, and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology./DGB, WDJ