A suspended Bacolod City barangay captain facing an administrative complaint for allegedly incurring unauthorized absences has been ordered to file his counter affidavit, Councilor Al Victor Espino said Thursday, May 18.
Espino, chairman of the Sangguniang Panlungsod Committee on Laws, Ordinances and Good Government, said the order that was served Thursday directs Barangay Captain Joseph de los Santos of Barangay 16 to file his reply within 10 days.
The complaint filed by seven Barangay 16 council members on May 15 asks the SP to hold de los Santos administratively liable for incurring unauthorized absences for five consecutive Sangguniang Barangay sessions.
The complaint was filed by acting barangay captain Stella de la Peña and SB members Franz Familiaran, Jude Bryan Alson, Cristina Ligaya, Jie Rodolfo Madrigal, Ermelo Alintano, and Winsie Jesson Billones.
De los Santos was the second ranked barangay kagawad of Barangay 16 in the 2018 barangay elections, who became barangay captain following the deaths of Punong Barangay Nelson Ligaya Jr. and Erwin Arela, the first ranked kagawad.
The SP had meted a six month suspension on him in December 2022 for a separate complaint. The suspension ends on June 2, Espino said.
The suspension was for grave abuse of authority, grave misconduct, serious dishonesty and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service for the unreasonable delay of the release of the honoraria of the SB members, and for falsifying the approved annual budget of the barangay, the complainants said..
The complainants asked the SP to preventively suspend de los Santos while it deliberates on their new complaint.*