CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City Basak San Nicolas Barangay Captain Norman Navarro will try to appeal the six-month suspension imposed on him by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) due to allegations over the Special Amelioration Program (SAP) distribution.
Navarro told CDN Digital that he was contacted by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) around May 2020 because his name appeared in his barangay’s SAP list.
However, he already explained to them that another person, who has the same first name and last name as him but a different middle name was actually the recipient.
“Wa ko kasabot ngano naa man ning suspension kay niexplain naman ko sa CIDG. Ako gani gipaatubang tong residente nga maoy nakadawat,” said Navarro.
(I don’t understand this suspension because I have already explained to the CIDG. I even presented to them the resident, who received the assistance.)
Navarro has not officially received the suspension orders from DILG, but he said he was already in touch with his lawyers for a possible appeal.
He said that he would try to make an appeal as he could not give up without a fight when he knew that he is innocent.
As of now, he is waiting for the suspension order in order to make his formal appeal.
Read: 5 Cebu barangay execs, 4 others face preventive suspension over SAP anomalies
The Office of the Ombudsman, in an order dated September 2, 2020, said that “the evidence on record shows that the guilt of these punong barangays is strong and the charges against them involve Serious Dishonesty, Grave Misconduct, Abuse of Authority and Conduct Prejudicial to the Best Interest of the Service which may warrant removal from the service.”
The Ombudsman maintained that the continued stay of these barangay chiefs in office may prejudice the case filed against them, “[so] placing them under preventive suspension for a period of six (6) months pursuant to Republic Act No. 6770 is proper under the premises.”
Navarro is among the five barangay chiefs in Cebu that will placed under prevention suspensions including Patricio G. Soco, Barangay Alang-alang, Mandaue City, Cebu; Ulysses Raganas, Barangay Linao, Talisay City, Cebu; Zosima P. Rojo, Barangay Upper, Natimao-an, Carmen, Cebu; Ignacio Cortes II, Barangay Centro, Mandaue City, Cebu./dbs