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WILL the real mayor please stand up.
Tudela Mayor Rogelio Baquerfo Sr. yesterday filed charges of usurpation of authority against Vice Mayor Clint Maratas before the Visayas Ombudsman for taking over the duties of the local chief executive.
Baquerfo’s counsel, Noel Archival, said the case stemmed from a memorandum issued by Maratas telling all municipal department heads, barangay chairmen and employees that he had assumed the position of acting mayor last July 14.
Maratas has been appointed acting mayor by Demetrio Granada, who earlier won an election protest against Baquerfo and was declared by the Danao Regional Trial Court as the winner of Tudela’s mayoralty race.
Also, on July 14, the Sandiganbayan suspended Baquerfo for 90 days in relation to a 2004 graft case for allegedly transferring Tudela's waterworks system to barangay Puertobello without a Sangguniang Bayan resolution.
Granada cited the suspension order in appointing Maratas as acting mayor.
But Bacquerfo claims in his complaint that there was no legal basis for Granada to act as mayor or for him to designate Maratas as acting chief executive.
Archival said Bacquerfo’s suspension was on hold because of a motion for reconsideration they had filed before the Sandiganbayan.
Bacquerfo’s counsel said they were asking the Ombudsman to look into the matter. He added that if probable cause would be found they would file a case before the Sandiganbayan. /Reporter Hayde Quiñanola and Correspondent Carine M. Asutilla
