NEB’s call on how to fill up vacancy at the Prov Board

WITH the dismissal of ABC Cebu chapter President Celestino Martinez III, the National Executive Board (NEB) of the Liga ng mga Barangay will decide whether to appoint a caretaker to temporarily head the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) for Cebu province or hold a special election for a new ABC president.

The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Cebu province head Jerome Gonzales said the NEB may also opt to leave the position vacant since the absence of an ABC representative at the Provincial Board (PB) would not affect its quorum.

“For purposes of ensuring representation of the barangays, mas maayo gyud nga naa, kay part man na siya sa Sangguniang Panlalawigan nga dunay representation ang Liga ng mga Barangay (it is better to have representation because the Sangguniang Panlalawigan really has a seat for the Liga ng mga Barangay),” he told reporters on Tuesday morning at his office.

Martinez was dismissed from government service and perpetually disqualified from holding public office by the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with the 2004 Fertilizer Fund Scam when he was still mayor of Bogo City.

The dismissal order was implemented on July 28.

Martinez, being the ABC president, was an ex-officio member of the Provincial Board (PB).

Gonzales said leaving it vacant or appointing a caretaker is the decision of the NEB.

Gonzales said under the Local Government Code, the Liga ng mga Barangay is governed by their constitution and by-laws.

Asked if its too late for the NEB to hold a special election, Gonzales said no.

“Dili man tingale (Not really) for purposes of having a representation in the SP. Para nako (For me), they should have a representative,” he said.
The special election will be among the presidents of the component cities and municipalities.

The ABC vice president for Cebu Emerito Calderon Sr. cannot replace Martinez because he was elected mayor of Samboan during the last elections.
The ABC doesn’t also provide guidelines on succession after the vice president.

Reelection

Can Martinez still run for reelection as barangay captain this coming election?

For the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Cebu Province, Martinez may still file his certificate of candidacy (COC).

Lionel Marco Castillano, Comelec Cebu Province head, told reporters in a separate interview that they will accept his COC.

But it will be the Comelec First Division En Banc that will decide whether to allow or disallow Martinez from running again for office pending his appeal before the Court of Appeals (CA) for the dismissal order.