Bacolod Councilor Al Victor Espino*
The Office of the Ombudsman has suspended Bacolod Councilor Al Victor Espino for six months, Vice Mayor Kalaw Puentevella confirmed on Thursday, October 23.
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Bacolod Director Christian Nagaynay verbally informed him of the suspension before the Bacolod City Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) regular session on Wednesday, Puentevella said.
However, the vice mayor has not received an official copy of the Ombudsman’s order or any documents from the DILG.
The Ombudsman’s ruling is reportedly based on a complaint filed by PMaj. Junji Liba, former head of the Bacolod Traffic Authority Office, against Espino for profanities he hurled while at the BTAO office in 2023.
Espino said he has filed a motion for reconsideration to the Ombudsman’s decision.
“I am not taking this sitting down,” Espino said.
In the interest of ensuring the continuous and efficient operations of the Bacolod SP pending the actual receipt of an order from the DILG, the committees chaired by Espino were assigned to other councilors and approved by the city council on Wednesday, Puentevella said.
“This measure was done solely to prevent any disruption in legislative work and to safeguard the delivery of basic public services to our constituents,” Puentevella said, assuring that the Office of the Vice Mayor upholds due process, transparency, and adherence to proper procedure at all times.
The vice mayor said that Councilor Jude Thaddeus Sayson has been designated SP Majority Floor Leader in place of Espino.
Councilor Caesar Distrito will take over as chairman of the Committee on Laws and the Committee on Urban Poor, Housing, and Resettlement, while Councilor Homer Bais will head the Committee on Education.
Distrito and Bais were the vice chairmen of the committees that Espino had headed.
Espino did not attend the regular SP session on Wednesday afternoon.*