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[av_heading heading=’ Jed’s loss is Joe’s gain ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
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Friday, October 27, 2017
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ILOILO City – The man who stood to benefit greatly from the ouster of Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog said he had no feelings for his disgraced political ally of many years.
“Wala gid ‘ko feeling because I don’t know anything about it. Thank you,” was Acting Mayor Jose Espinosa III’s curt reply to journalists seeking his reaction to the Office of the Ombudsman’s order dismissing Mabilog from the service for unexplained wealth.
According to Espinosa, he won’t comment on the matter until he had read the Ombudsman’s decision on the complaint for dishonesty and grave misconduct filed against Mabilog in 2015.
In a ruling dated Aug. 29, 2017 but released to the public only yesterday, the Ombudsman directed the Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government to implement the dismissal order “immediately upon receipt thereof.”
“Waay pa ko kabaton officially so no comment na lang ko da,” Espinosa told reporters yesterday.
He started exercising the full function of city mayor – including the control and supervision of the police – on Oct. 11 after Mabilog extended his leave of absence to Oct. 30.
It was unclear if, following the Ombudsman decision, Mabilog would still decide to return to Iloilo City.
“I will stick to what is provided for by law. Ang akon lang ‘ya, I am assuming (the full function of mayor) because of the provisions of the Local Government Code,” said Espinosa in a recent interview.
With “full power”, Espinosa said he could better manage the city, especially its peace and order situation.
Espinosa started serving as acting mayor on Sept. 11 when Mabilog filed for a sick leave that was supposed to end on Sept. 30. But on Sept. 29, Mabilog through a surrogate filed for a 30-day leave extension.
Mabilog served as city councilor from 2004 to 2007 and vice mayor from 2007 to 2010.
He was elected mayor in 2010 and reelected in 2013 and 2016. In these three elections, he teamed up with Espinosa.
Espinosa, a lawyer, had been city councilor multiple times before running for vice mayor in 2010, with two successful reelection bids in 2013 and 2016.
Meanwhile, City Administrator Hernando Galvez expressed confidence that Iloilo City would weather this sudden leadership change.
“Ilonggos are brave and prepared for whatever eventualities,” said Galvez whom Mabilog appointed to the post in July last year./PN
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