(Photo grabbed from https://www.facebook.com/andy.d.lacson)
ANGELES CITY – A Tarlac court has barred the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Ombudsman from serving a suspension order against Concepcion, Tarlac Mayor Andy Lacson.
Tarlac Regional Trial Court, Branch 66 presiding Judge Ronald Haban ordered the DILG and the Ombudsman “to cease and desist from any action that will result in the suspension” of Lacson.
In 2016, administrative and criminal cases were filed by Joy Ann Lorenzo, the head of the Municipal General Services Office (MGSO) of Concepcion, after Lacson issued a memorandum circular re-assigning her to the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (MDRRMO).
The Ombudsman dismissed all the four criminal and three administrative cases filed by Lorenzo for “lack of merit” except for the administrative charge of “abuse of authority/oppression.”
The Ombudsman then meted a six-month and one-day suspension against Lacson which the DILG was supposed to implement.
Lacson then sought preliminary injunction from the local court against the Ombudsman order.
In his order barring the Ombudsman order, the court noted that “the primary purpose of injunction is to preserve the status quo by restraining action or interference or by furnishing preventive relief.”
In an interview, Lacson defended his memorandum re-assigning Lorenzo to MDRRMO saying Lorenzo had been a subject of complaints from various sectors for her alleged “arrogance and bad manners.”
“This case is not about corruption. I just wanted good service to the public,” Lacson added.
