BORACAY ISLAND, Aklan — Malay town Mayor Ceciron Cawaling has been suspended by the Office of the Ombudsman effective Thursday, a day before the anticipated Oct. 26 reopening of Boracay.
The suspension was confirmed by Department of Interior of Local Government (DILG) Acting Secretary Eduardo Año, in an interview.
Año said the preventive suspension resolution by the Ombudsman was released on October 23 and was signed by him on Thursday.
Based on the order released by the Ombudsman, Cawaling is preventively suspended for a maximum of six months for gross neglect of duty, unbecoming conduct of public officer, and grave misconduct.
He said it is related to the administrative and criminal charges filed by the DILG with the Ombudsman last June for alleged neglect of duty which resulted to the degradation of Boracay’s environment.
Seventeen officials of Aklan, including Governor Florecio Miraflores, were included in the charges.
“Upon the initial review of the Ombudsman, they have issued a preventive suspension on Mayor Cawaling while still studying the case,” he said.
With the suspension of Cawaling, Vice Mayor Abram Sualog will serve as acting mayor of the town.
Sualog, in an interview, said he was already informed of the suspension and he would coordinate with the inter-agency task force, in anticipation of the island’s reopening.
Sualog said he would immediately conduct an executive meeting with all the department heads on how to help with the rehabilitation. (/PNA)
