CUYAO, Nueva Ecija – Vice Mayor John Diego assumed on Thursday the office of the mayor after Mayor Amado Corpuz failed to report to office for the fourth day without formal leave of absence, a ranking interior and local government official said.
Dr. Abraham Pascua, provincial director of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) said the law provides the automatic succession of the vice mayor on the fourth day of the mayor’s absence to “avoid a vacuum” in the vital government office.
He noted that based on reports, Corpuz had not reported to his office since Monday.
This as supporters of Corpuz held vigils in the past five days in his residence to express support to the local chief executive who was being linked to the broad daylight killing of Angelito Espinosa last June.
Espinosa was the newly appointed secretary of the Sangguniang Bayan (SB) when killed allegedly by Corpuz’s bodyguard, Carlito Samonte, right inside the municipal hall compound.
Already wounded from the suspect’s bullets, Espinosa reportedly even managed to rush to the nearby police station but was pursued and still fired at by the suspect.
Samonte was later arrested.
Ina case of murder filed before the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office, the victim’s widow, Prescilla Espinosa, said Corpuz could be behind the killing. She had said, her husband was instrumental in filing various administrative and criminal charges against Corpuz before the Office of the Ombudsman.
Prescilla is an employee of the municipal Rural Health Unit (RHU).
“Nag-assume na po ako,” Diego said, adding the condition at the town hall turned normal as of Thursday.
Corpuz could not be reached for comment. He has been denying the charges though.
Dr. Abraham Pascua, provincial director of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) said the law provides the automatic succession of the vice mayor on the fourth day of the mayor’s absence to “avoid a vacuum” in the vital government office.
He noted that based on reports, Corpuz had not reported to his office since Monday.
This as supporters of Corpuz held vigils in the past five days in his residence to express support to the local chief executive who was being linked to the broad daylight killing of Angelito Espinosa last June.
Espinosa was the newly appointed secretary of the Sangguniang Bayan (SB) when killed allegedly by Corpuz’s bodyguard, Carlito Samonte, right inside the municipal hall compound.
Already wounded from the suspect’s bullets, Espinosa reportedly even managed to rush to the nearby police station but was pursued and still fired at by the suspect.
Samonte was later arrested.
Ina case of murder filed before the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office, the victim’s widow, Prescilla Espinosa, said Corpuz could be behind the killing. She had said, her husband was instrumental in filing various administrative and criminal charges against Corpuz before the Office of the Ombudsman.
Prescilla is an employee of the municipal Rural Health Unit (RHU).
“Nag-assume na po ako,” Diego said, adding the condition at the town hall turned normal as of Thursday.
Corpuz could not be reached for comment. He has been denying the charges though.
