Albay guv confirms suspension order from Ombudsman

Legazpi: Albay Governor Edcel Greco Lagman confirmed receiving a preventive suspension order from the Office of the Ombudsman on Friday. "The event I was expecting has come to pass. I received my preventive suspension order from the Ombudsman today. Therefore, Vice Governor Glenda Ong Bongao will need to assume the role of acting governor as soon as possible," he said in a social media post, without giving details on his case or elaborating if it was related to a graft case filed against him early this year. Lagman said he communicated with all department heads, assistant heads and office heads of the province to ensure that ongoing projects and programs would not be affected. "I will meet you all soon. We will have to sit down and execute our game plans para padagos an pagserbe sa mga Albayanos (to continue serving the Albayanos). Nothing will change. We will all continue to strive for good governance. The credo of honor, excellence, and service of Albay Matibay that we all hold dear in our hearts will be pursued more relentlessly now," Lagman added in his post. In February, a former village captain in Barangay Anislag in Daraga filed a graft case against Lagman before the Ombudsman for allegedly receiving "payola" (payoff) from jueteng operators when he was still the vice governor. Alwin Nimo said he was a bagman for operators of the illegal numbers game and that Lagman received PHP8 million in bribes. Lagman became governor by succession in December 2022 when the Commission on Elections disqualified Governor Noel Rosal for poll violations. Lagman, who will run for governor next year, said he will fight the suspension. "An preventive suspension bako po tabi penalidad or sentensya. Lalabanan ko ini ta warang katotohan an sal na akusasyon sako. Bilang abogado, malinaw na dai ining basehang legal (Preventive suspension is not a penalty or sentence. I will fight this because the accusation against me is untrue. As a lawyer, it is clear that this is not a legal basis)," he said. Department of the Interior an d Local Government-Bicol Assistant Director Jhoaden Lucero said in an interview that they have not received a copy of the Office of the Ombudsman order. "We cannot comment on that as we haven't received a copy of the order," she said. Source: Philippines News agency