The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the
suspension of Mayor Aminola Mangurun of Kapai town in Lanao del Sur in connection
with the murder of an Army captain and his aide in Cagayan de Oro in 2005.
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In a three-page order signed on Wednesday,
Ombudsman Ma. Merceditas Gutierrez granted the petition seeking preventive
suspension of Mangurun for six months without pay pending investigation on charges of grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.
The administrative charges against the mayor before the anti-graft office was filed pending trial of double murder case against him at a Makati regional trial court for allegedly masterminding the killing of Capt. Paulman Sadat Tamano and his aide, Sgt. Nabral Bara, in December 2005.
Gutierrez decided to suspend Mangurun to prevent him from using his elective position from influencing investigation on the administrative case as well as trial on the criminal case, citing Section 24 of R.A. 6770 (The Ombudsman’s Act of 1989).
“The Ombudsman or her deputy may preventively suspend any officer or employee under her authority pending investigation if in her judgment the evidence of guilt is strong, and the charge against such officer or employee involves dishonesty, oppression or grave misconduct or neglect in performance of duty, the charges would warrant removal from the service or respondent’s continued stay in office may prejudice the case filed against him,” stated the order obtained by The STAR.
The Ombudsman also cited in her order the standing warrant of arrest against Mangurun issued by Makati RTC Branch 141 Judge Mary ann Corpuz – Manalac last January 2008, which up to now has not been served.
Gutierrez tapped the Department of Interior and Local Government to immediately implement the suspension order. But the DILG said Kapai town is beyond its jurisdiction and instead referred the order to the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao.
The victim’s family welcomed the order of the Ombudsman, believing it would cut the strong influence of Mangurun in the province and could help bring him to the court for trial.
Shalimar Tamano, brother of the slain Army captain and currently a director at the Department of Tourism, believes the suspension order against the mayor would “level the playing field.”
“We are hoping that this Ombudsman order would prevent people from helping him get away with this crime,” Tamano told The STAR.
Sources showed that authorities are now preparing documents to officially include Mangurun in the list of fugitives being hunted down by police. The victim’s family said they would be willing to offer reward to those who would help in the immediate arrest of the mayor.
Also accused in the double murder case apart from Mangurun is Lininding Ampal, the alleged spotter in the killing.
Investigation showed that the two supposedly conspired in killing Tamano, who allegedly had an affair with Mangurun’s wife.
Tamano’s family, however, denied the allegation. They said the mayor retaliated at the Army captain after the latter busted his illegal businesses in the municipality. - By Edu Punay (Philstar News Service, www.philstar.com)
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