CATBALOGAN CITY – The acting mayor of this city vows that he would make into good use his stay in the office, which is six months.
This was disclosed by Councilor Archie Fuentes who formally took his post as acting mayor of the city on January 3.
Fuentes took the top post of the city government after Mayor Stephany Uy-Tan was suspended by the Office of the Ombudsman due to alleged irregular land deal and lease of the city’s public market.
Aside from Uy-Tan, also suspended for six months without pay by the anti-graft court were Vice Mayor Art Sherwin Gabon; Councilors Coefredo Uy, father of the Stephany Uy-Tan; Jeffrey Uy; Maximo Pascual; Edward Uy; Christine Joy Escobar; Beethoven Bermejo; and Nanette Jasmin.
Included suspended were city accountant Peachy Daguman; city treasurer Elizabeth Lim; city budget officer Ma. Theresa Lim; and city assessor Romero Tuazon.
Fuentes and Councilor Kendall Luke Perez, the acting vice mayor, took their oath before Judge Sibanah Usman, presiding judge of the Regional Trial Court-Branch 28.
In a press conference after he took his oath as acting mayor, Fuentes said that he will focus on transparency, accountability, participatory form of government while serving as city mayor.
“There will be consultation on important policies and programs that the city government will implement,” Fuentes, reading a prepared statement, said.
“Under my term, I will continue to implement the good programs of the suspended mayor and we will scrutinize and make sure that these projects will not only benefit the few,” the acting mayor added.
Fuentes said that since the last day of his term as acting mayor will coincide with the start of the first day of a new mayor, he assures of a smooth transition.
For his part, acting Vice Mayor Perez said that as the head of the city council, he cannot discharge functions as they could not convene due to lack of quorum.
At present, only Siegfried Uy and Michael Ian Tuazon, city president of the Association of Barangay Chairmen, and Sangguniang Kabataan city federation president, respectively, are the active members of the council.
“I will be waiting for the legal advice from the Department of Interior and Local Government,” Perez said. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)
