By CESAR JOLITO III

Bacolod City Mayor Greg Gasataya has called for respect and adherence to the decision of the Office of the Ombudsman ordering the six-month suspension of Councilor Al Victor Espino, saying the matter should be treated as part of the legal process.

In an interview with reporters yesterday, Gasataya said the Ombudsman’s order is a legal matter that must be followed, while noting that the suspended councilor is entitled to pursue all available legal remedies.

“It’s a legal process, and we should respect that. There are legal remedies available to the councilor, so let’s give it due course,” Gasataya said.

The mayor emphasized that the local government’s role is to abide by the Ombudsman’s directive while allowing due process to take its course.

“We should let the legal process move forward fairly. What’s important is that governance continues,” he added.

Vice Mayor Kalaw Puentevella earlier confirmed that the Department of the Interior and Local Government – Bacolod office, through Director Christian Nagaynay, had informed him about the suspension order against Espino.

The case against the councilor reportedly stemmed from an incident that occurred at the Bacolod Traffic Authority Office during his previous term.

Following the Ombudsman’s order, Puentevella said the committee chairmanships previously held by Espino in the Sangguniang Panlungsod have been temporarily reassigned to other city councilors to ensure continuity in legislative work.

The move, he said, was purely procedural and intended to prevent any disruption in legislative functions and the delivery of public services.

“This measure was done solely to prevent any disruption in legislative work and to safeguard the delivery of basic public services to our constituents,” the statement read./CJ, WDJ