Ping Cuerpo - Jonas Cruz showdown

Cuerpo vows to return to mayor’s post
Suspended official cites Palace order

MANILA, Philippines - Suspended Rodriguez Mayor Pedro Cuerpo said he will return to his post on Monday on the strength of an order from Malacañang granting a stay in his suspension. Cuerpo cited an order dated Nov. 9 from the Office of the President directing the acting mayor, Vice Mayor Jonas Cruz, to “cease and desist” from performing his functions as mayor and relinquish those duties to him.

“Mayor Cuerpo may now reassume his position as municipal mayor in the meantime,” the order signed by Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said. The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) was also directed to execute the order immediately. But Cuerpo said the DILG had not acted on the order almost a month after it was first issued, prompting his decision to return to office “whether the DILG will implement (the stay order) or not.”

“Otherwise, it will be considered abandonment of duty,” he said, adding that his suspension would have lapsed on Dec. 22. Cuerpo said he expected thousands of his supporters to join him in his attempt to come back to work at the town hall Monday. However, he added that there could be some resistance from the sitting mayor when he returns to his office.

The suspension order, which was issued by the Rizal provincial board in October, stemmed from an old administrative case filed last year against Cuerpo for the construction of the Slope Stabilization and Central Transport Terminal Project in Barangay San Rafael.

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Traffic na naman kaninang umaga at hanggang Plaza lang ang tricycle na sinakyan ko. Babalik na naman kasi sa office niya ang suspended mayor namin at makikipag-showdown naman siya sa acting mayor namin. Ang gulo-gulo nila. Ilang buwan o baka nga taon na itong issue na ito. Ilang beses nang suspinde at bumalik sa opisina ang aming butihing mayor dahil sa isyu ng katiwalian at negligence sa mga constituents niya.

Sana lang maayos na ng kapulisan ang peace and order sa munispyo dahil matagal na ang away na ito at masyado nang nakaka-perwisyo sa mga tao ang kanilang bangayan. Lalo na siguro pag malapit na ang eleksyon. Wala ako masyadong masasabi sa isyu na ito kundi bukod sa istorbo. Pare-pareho naman silang tiwali. Walang mapili sa kanila. Pulitika nga naman. Gagawin ang lahat sa ngalan ng kapangyarihan.