San Vicente, Palawan – The Committee on Laws of the Sangguniang Bayan (SB) of this town on Wednesday, March 16, rejected the appointment of Municipal Liga ng mga Barangay Vice-President Cesar Caballero as ABC president vice Lovicel Bonggat who was arrested last year.
SB member Lilibeth Uapal-Osorio, Chairperson of their Committee on Laws, along with SB members Mark Anthony Tabangay, Walter Dela Cruz and Antonio Rabina said in their report that Caballero’s services “are not needed,” stressing that Bonggat’s position has not been vacated despite his arrest and detention in the Provincial Jail.
The members of the Sangguniang Bayan concluded that, “there is no temporary or permanent vacancies in the Sangguniang Bayan. The President of the Pambayang Liga ng mga Barangay Hon. Lovicel Bonggat has neither succeeded to any higher vacant office, nor he refused to continue in his office, nor he was disqualified, nor he died, nor he was removed from office, nor he voluntarily resigned, nor he became permanently incapacitated,” an excerpt from the report read.
Furthermore, the legislators of the Sangguniang Bayan of San Vicente also concluded that Bonggat’s detention in the Provincial Jail does is an insufficient reason for his explusion from his position in the Sangguniang Bayan.
“The Committee concludes that Hon. Lovicel Bonggat’s detention in the jail does not qualify for his expulsion in the Sangguniang Bayan as stated in Section 50 (b) (5) of RA 7160, which might have vacated his post as ex-officio member of the Sangguniang Bayan,” the report further read.
“Finally, since there is no vacancy in the post of ex-officio member of the Sangguniang Bayan of San Vicente, Palawan, it is not necessary for Hon. Cesar Caballero to graciously and humbly volunteer his services to fill-up a non-vacant post,” the report said.
Meanwhile, Palawan Liga Federation President BM Ferdinand Zaballa, in a recent statement, said that DILG has already ordered for Caballero to function as the new ABC president of the said town and that Atty. Romeo Benitez, Director of Legal and Legislative Liaison Service of DILG, advised that the approval of the SB members of San Vicente concerning Caballero’s appointment is irrelevant due to the nature of law.
“The DILG, on the other hand, also issued a memorandum mandating PB Caballero to function as the ABC president. Just recently, PB Caballero received a letter from DILG authorizing him to function as the representation of ABC, if not so, he will face the charges or legal consequences of his insubordination,” Zaballa said.