Upon receipt of the decision of the Ombusdman meting, Hon. Receliste Escolin,
mayor of the municipality of President Roxas, Capiz, a 3-month suspension
without salary for simple misconduct, he immediately filed an Omnibus Motion –
Motion for Reconsideration and Motion to hold in abeyance the execution of the
Decision.
Escolin personally delivered his Omnibus Motion at the central office of the
Ombusdman in Manila a day upon receiving the decision.
The Ombudsman has directed Capiz Governor Hon. Fredenil Castro to implement
the suspension order and submit the action taken within five days upon
implementing the same.
The case was filed against Escolin in 2017 by Alfonso Locsin Golero, a former vice
mayor of President Roxas, for alleged leaving the province without permission
from then Governor Antonio del Rosario. Such act was violative to Section 96 of
the Local Government Code of the Philippines stipulated in letter b, “mayors of
component cities and municipalities shall secure the permission of the governor
concerned for any travel outside the province.”
The said case was decided in September 4, 2023, and the decision signed by Atty .
Pilarita T. Lapitan, Assistant Ombudsman, came out in December 2023, which
Escolin received mid-January 2024.
Escolin said, there were multiple cases against him filed by Golero before the
Ombudsman like abuse of authority and grave misconduct, but were all
dismissed. Only this particular case was penned with the decision of suspension.
Escolin in his Omnibus motion asked the Ombusdman to reconsider its decision
considering it is the first offense which is simple misconduct.
He also cited the case of Golero who was meted by the Ombusdsman in 2021 for
malversation case wherein he was suspended for six months, however it was
reduced to one month only when Golero filed a motion for reconsideration.
As a matter of fact, Escolin said Golero is now facing criminal case before the
Regional Trial Court in Roxas City for the said case.
Some people of President Roxas have commented: for such simple offense, does
their mayor deserve such penalty?
