Davao Region || XI Impeachment vs 2 village chiefs loom
Impeachment vs 2 village chiefs loom
Thursday, 02 February 2012 00:00
DIGOS City--While the Senate is conducting the impeachment proceeding against the chief justice of the Supreme Court, local legislators, here, are also dealing with the administrative charges filed before the Sang- guniang Panlungsod against two barangay captains.
Barangay Captain Rey Ab- alle of Aplaya was administratively charged before the city council for his involvement in the demolition of a shanty along the shorelines of the said village; while, Barangay Captain Arnold Zapanta of Zone-1 is charged for intervening in the affairs of a 'Purok' within his area of responsibility, and using his powers as chief executive in running after the supporters of his opponent in the previous election.
The majority of the Councilor-Judges denied the motion for reconsideration to dismiss those cases and set the preliminary hearing in the afternoon of February 9.
Vice-Mayor Reynaldo Her- mosisima, a lawyer by profession served as the presiding officer of the hearing. He ruled that the administrative cases will be heard separately to avoid chaos and maintain order of the proceedings knowing that the respondents are hiring private counsel to represent them in their behalf before the quasi- judicial court.
Hermosisima also ruled that each respondent will have a single lead counsel and not all the rules of court could be applied in during the proceedings since the said body is not a regular court contrary to the arguments of one of the counsel for the accused that the rules of court should be applied.
Aballe vehemently denied he abused his authority as the local chief executive but he was just following what was stipulated in an approved ordinance prohibiting anybody to build shanties or whatever structures along the shorelines.
"The said ordinance was approved in the barangay level and subsequently reviewed and approved by the sangguniang panlungsod that is now con- ducting the proceeding. I don't think that the case has its merit to proceed," Aballe said.
On the other hand, Zapanta said his accusers are being used to harass him. I am not intervening in their affairs. I have been a public official since I was an SK, finished my three terms as barangay councilor until I was elected barangay captain. If I am vindictive as they perceived my constituents would not trust me this very sensitive position.
Aballe and Zapanta are known supporters of Governor Douglas Cagas who is at odds with Digos City Mayor Joseph Peñas.
Some residents of Aplaya and Zone-1 flocked to the SP building bringing streamers and placards signifying their support to Aballe and Zapanta.
Hermosisima assured that they would remain neutral in the treatment of those cases amidst speculations that they are bias against the respondents due to their political inclination with the city chief executive.
BY ELDIE S. AGUIRRE
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