SP summons Bangui mayor

By Leilanie G. Adriano

Staff Reporter

The Sangguniang Panlalawigan has summoned the local chief executive of Bangui, Ilocos Norte to answer within 15 days, starting April 14, an administrative charge filed against him recently.

The administrative charge against Bangui Mayor Diosdado Garvida was filed by Kremlin Alupay, a native of Barangay Masikil on April 2 for grave abuse of authority and oppression.

A report obtained from the police blotter of the Bangui police noted by P/Insp. Allan Abuan on April 2 has accused Garvida of firing his gun on the ground twice for no apparent reason and pointed his gun of unknown type to the driver of a pay loader identified as Emeterio Sison, 61, resident of Barangay San Nicolas, Gapan City, Nueva Ecija on March 31 at 2:15 pm.

In view of this, the provincial board’s secretariat has forwarded the summons to Garvida on April 11.

On April 14, Garvida was seen at the Provincial Capitol apparently to meet with Ilocos Norte Governor Ma. Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos. Garvida however refused to comment when asked for an interview by Capitol beat reporters.

In his earlier statement, Garvida said the accusation against him “is absolutely false, corrupted by people opposed to my untiring drive to bring governance to my town.”

The gun-toting incident came in the wake of an illegal quarrying report from a brgy. chairperson which prompted the mayor to go to Brgy. Banban to try and stop the activity being conducted by a certain Junjun Llanes and Celso Ragudo at a private lot owned by Alupay.

Garvida reiterated that was not the first time he stopped the group because they cannot show proof of permit to excavate sand and gravel in the area duly issued by the Provincial Mining Board.

Depending of the result of the administrative charge filed against Garvida at the provincial board, he could become the fifth mayor to be suspended by Governor Marcos. The first four mayors suspended earlier by Ms. Marcos as a result of administrative charges are former Pagudpud Mayor Matilde “Maja” Sales, former Pasuquin Mayor Victoria Aguinaldo, Adams Mayor Eric Baoingan, and Sarrat Mayor Edito Alberto Balintona.