21-5-2024 (MANILA) In a stern crackdown against alleged improprieties involving local officials and illegal gambling operations, Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos has ordered the National Police Commission (Napolcom) to strip Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo of her police powers.
Addressing the media during a press conference on Wednesday, Abalos declared, “Local officials have supervision over the police, so I have instructed the Napolcom to initiate proceedings for the withdrawal of the mayor’s deputization. Meaning, after the investigation, with sufficient grounds, we would withdraw the deputization of Mayor Guo as the consequences of the privileges attached are revoked immediately, including its control and supervision of its local police.”
Simultaneously, the Interior Secretary disclosed that government lawyers would formally file a complaint against Guo after the Office of the Ombudsman stated that a case against her should be forwarded to order her preventive suspension as the mayor of Bamban.
However, Abalos was quick to clarify the limitations of his department’s authority in the matter, stating, “I want to clarify that the DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government) has no power to order the preventive suspension (against Guo). We have no authority to dismiss an individual. We also have no power to suspend a person even to issue a reprimand. That’s not within the power of DILG. I want to clarify that because people are expecting.”
Instead, Abalos explained that his department’s role is to conduct investigations and forward the findings to the Ombudsman’s Office. “We created a task force. This is a seven-man team, and we had already submitted our findings to the Office of the Ombudsman. If they want us to file a complaint, that’s not a problem. We will file a complaint against her,” he asserted.
The DILG chief has recommended placing Guo under preventive suspension for alleged “serious illegal acts” involving Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGO). He elaborated that the DILG has urged the Ombudsman to issue a preventive suspension against Guo to prevent any potential interference with the ongoing investigations by the agency and other authorities.
While Abalos refrained from specifying the precise illegal acts committed by Guo, citing courtesy to the Ombudsman’s Office, he confirmed that a seven-member task force headed by Benjamin Zaballa of the DILG Internal Audit Service was formed in April to probe the allegations surrounding the mayor’s purported links to an illegal POGO operation within her municipality.
Abalos further noted that investigations into citizenship issues surrounding Guo are still ongoing.
Reiterating the division of responsibilities, the Interior Secretary reiterated that any disciplinary action against elected local government officials falls under the jurisdiction of the Ombudsman’s Office, as the DILG lacks the authority to directly suspend or dismiss such officials.
