ILOILO City – Barangay Captain Keith “Dabing” Espinosa of Monica Blumentritt, City Proper has resigned after Mayor Jose Espinosa III rejected her application to extend her leave of absence for eight more months.
“Considering that you have disapproved my request for extension of leave of absence without citing any reason/s or any legal basis, I am therefore tendering my irrevocable resignation effective immediately,” Espinosa stated in her letter to the mayor.
The letter was dated Nov. 25. On Nov. 22 Mayor Espinosa publicly disclosed having rejected the leave application of the barangay captain. His office received the resignation letter yesterday.
The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Iloilo City received a copy of the resignation letter also yesterday.
According to the lady barangay captain, it was with “pride and honor” that she served the people of Monica Blumentritt.
“It is just unfortunate that I will end my term this way,” she wrote Espinosa and the DILG.
In 2016 Espinosa was investigated by the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) for the proliferation of illegal drugs in her barangay. It found her liable for grave misconduct and gross neglect of duty. Still, she was reelected during the May 2018 barangay election.
“I can assure you that even in my absence, my barangay is in good hands with my very active barangay officials and Sangguniang Kabataan officials. I will still continue to support all the endeavors of my barangay and Iloilo City as a private citizen,” Espinosa further stated in her letter.
Espinosa, whose husband Jesus “Jing-jing” Jr. is a nephew of the mayor, took a leave of absence for a month from July 21 to Aug. 21 and extended this for three more months, up to Nov. 21.
In her leave application, the barangay captain cited “some personal matters to attend to” and designated Barangay Councilman Antonio Espinosa as acting barangay captain.
According to City DILG head Atty. Ferdinand Panes, it is the city mayor who would approve Espinosa’s resignation.
“Pagbaton ni Mayor, pirmahan ‘ya na dayun kay ti sya gani to nag-suggest nga either mabalik sya (Barangay Captain Espinosa) or ma-resign,” said Panes.
When asked why he did not approve the barangay captain’s third leave application, Mayor Espinosa said last week, “Kalawig na. If you want to serve, serve. If you cannot serve, you resign.”
According to Panes, the City DILG would address the No. 1 barangay councilman of Monica Blumentritt on what to do as incoming village chief.
The barangay council would also be asked to make a recommendation as to who would assume as No. 7 barangay kagawad to fill up the vacancy in the council resulting from Espinosa’s resignation, added Panes.
“Once maka-assume na ang No. 1 kagawad as punong barangay, amo na ina pag-declare nga vacant sang No. 7 (post) in the council,” he said.
In an interview yesterday morning before his office received the lady barangay captain’s resignation, the city mayor said, “I think (her resignation) will be best for all.”
On July 11, Barangay Captain Espinosa tried unsuccessfully to have an audience with the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) director, Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao, in Camp Delgado to supposedly clear her name from illegal drug allegations.
According to Bulalacao, intelligence reports linking Espinosa to illegal drugs as suspected protector were consistent.
“If she is not involved in illegal drugs, she has nothing to be afraid of,” said Bulalacao.
Ten days after Bulalacao announced he was not keen on meeting the barangay captain, Espinosa took a leave of absence.
May last year as illegal drug allegations against her persisted, Espinosa appeared at Police Station 1 and denied being involved in drug trafficking. This was seven months after the Oct. 2, 2016 raid of her house by the Regional Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Group of the PRO-6.
The police seized seven sachets of shabu, a .45-caliber pistol, two spare magazines, and a licensed .9mm Glock pistol but Espinosa claimed these were “planted.”/PN
