Mandaue City councilor, son receives court order on suspension

A 60-DAY suspension order issued by the court was already served by the city office of the Department of Interior and Local Governments (DILG) to Mandaue City Councilor Editha Cabahug and her son, barangay Looc councilman Raul Kevin Cabahug last Monday afternoon.

Councilor Cabahug and her son plan to re-file a motion for reconsideration on the suspension after receiving a copy of the court order from DILG City Director Jhoaden Luicero.

“Maybe the court has not considered the first reply letter of the Civil Service Commission saying his ‘leave credits’ are not honored. Thus, we the barangay officials did not honor the demands of Flores,” she said.

Cabahug recounted that it was in 2002 when former barangay councilman Jaime Flores lost in the barangay elections.  Flores claimed his leave credits after serving as barangay councilman from 1997 to 2002.

But the barangay officials led by then barangay Looc chairperson Editha Cabahug rejected his request based on a letter by the Civil Service Commission that stated there was no provision in the law supporting the issuance of leave credits. The CSC said the leave credits for local officials took effect in 2004.

Cabahug’s lawyer Benjamin Cabrido said she and other Mandaue City councilors claimed their leave credits after the CSC declared it legal in 2004 but their application was disapproved.

He said his client is waiting on the DILG suspension order to determine when it takes effect. “But we will bring this matter to the Supreme Court,” he said.