PANABO CITY — Acting Vice Mayor Franklin Gentiles has confirmed the preventive suspension of Mayor Jose “Joe” Relampagos, which began on August 28 and will last until September 28 this year.
Despite the confirmation, Gentiles did not disclose the reason behind the one-month suspension. Instead, the public was initially informed that the mayor was merely on leave, causing confusion among Panabo residents.
A city councilor, in an interview, revealed that Mayor Relampagos had been facing a case filed before the local body. However, the councilor clarified that they could not confirm if the said case was the direct cause of the suspension.
As of this writing, no official explanation has been released regarding the action taken against the city’s chief executive. In the name of transparency and accountability, the public has the right to know the real reason, and the people are waiting for the official statement.