Narra Mayor Gerandy Danao will officially return to his post on November 26 after serving 14-month suspension handed down by the Palawan Provincial Board which found him liable in several administrative charges in 2020.
Danao’s spokesperson Jojo Gastanes told Palawan News Tuesday that the mayor will review the overall operations of the local government of Narra including the COVID-19 response, ongoing projects and programs.
He said that there will be a team that will handle the transition from Vice Mayor Crispin Lumba who served as the acting mayor.
“Mag-end ng November 25 ang 14-month suspension. [Pagbalik nya], una ay magbababa sya ng memorandum sa mga offices para tingnan ang mga accomplishments, availability of funds, mga projects na natapos at on-going. Priority din ‘yong COVID-19 status, pag-inventory ng mga equipments,” Gastanes said.
“Overall ay kailangan niya i-review, may coordination to team naman sya kay Vice Mayor Lumba para smooth ang pag-upo nya at alam nya kung ilan ang cash on hand, trust fund at malaman kung ano pa ang pwedeng magawa sa ilang buwan pang natitira,” he added.
With a vote of 13-0 the provincial board acting as a quasi-judicial court suspended Danao on May 25, 2020 on administrative charges for grave misconduct, gross negligence, and conduct prejudicial to the interest of service filed against him by the Narra Sangguniang Bayan.
The cases linked to violation of Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act which involved complaint for granting permit to operate a cockpit arena in Barangay Antipuluan without permission of the council and mismanagement of Narra Municipal Water System.
He also failed to submit the 2020 executive budget on time and failed to implement the Municipal Ordinance No. 2020-976 or the legislative measure allocating P9 million fund intended for the COVID/19 response measure.
He however appealed his case before the Office of the President which lowered the suspension time.
“20 months talaga ‘yan pero naging 14 months kasi na-modify ng Office of the President ang suspension ng Sangguniang Panlalawigan. Tinanggap naman ni mayor at naserve na nya, tapos na lahat [ng tungkol sa admin case nya],” Gastanes added.
Meanwhile, Municipal Local Government Operations Officer (MLGOO) Leny Escaro said it is the obligation of the mayor to send a notice to all departments about his return as Mayor of Narra to be “well informed.”
“DILG will not notify him na ok na. Nasa kay Mayor Danao ang move,” Escaro said.
Escaro also stated that Danao’s team sent a letter to DILG on Monday 22 asking for DILG’s assistance in his return as mayor and for the transition of acting Mayor Crispin Lumba.
“Nag-send sila ng letter sa DILG requesting for assistance pero wala pa silang letter na pinapadala dito sa level ko. Anyway ang assistance ng DILG naman diyan ay advice on what to do,. Need lang nya mag-issue ng notice, most probably a memorandum informing all na mag assume na sya,” she explained.
Escaro added that the number of their ranks should be “sufficient” regarding the end of Mayor Danao’s suspension.
“Anybody can contest kung hindi tama ang bilang nila sa araw, kaya need na sigurado din sila na hindi premature,” Escaro said.