PAGADIAN CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Apr. 17, 2013) – Pagadian City Vice Mayor Romeo Pulmones has designated himself as acting mayor following an arrest warrant issued by a court in Iligan City against Mayor Samuel Co, who was linked to a multi-billion investment scam in Mindanao.
In his memorandum to government agencies and department heads, including police and military and banking institutions, Pulmones cited Section 46 of the Local Government Code as his basis in taking over as mayor after Co went into hiding to evade arrest.
“Pursuant to Section 46…the undersigned officially assumes office as acting city mayor Pagadian effectively immediately. In compliance with the said mandate, all documents, financial vouchers, reports, communications and other concerns from your end should be addressed now to the undersigned who is temporarily holding office at the Sanguniang Panglunsod,” Pulmones said in the memorandum he released on Tuesday.
Pulmones said those who refused to follow the memorandum would be dealt accordingly under the penalty of law.
The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) said Pulmones’ assumption is legal under Section 46 of the Local Government Code. “By operation, there is no question about it and as far as we are concerned the assumption of Vice Mayor Pulmones as acting mayor of Pagadian is legal,” Pedro Cuevas, DILG Assistant Regional Director, told The Manila Times.
Co, accused of syndicated estafa, went into hiding after a court in Iligan City issued an arrest warrant on April 11. Co’s lawyers insisted he is not hiding. The National Bureau of Investigation and the local police have failed to arrest the politician, who is on his third and last term and still running for congress in the May elections.
Pulmones, who belongs to the Nationalist People’s Coalition, is running for mayor against Co’s wife Priscilla, who is a member of President Benigno Aquino’s Liberal Party. While Co is running as his wife vice mayoralty bet.
Supporters of Co have barricaded in front of the City Hall to prevent Pulmones from holding office there and said they will stay as long as it is necessary as a show of support to the embattled politician, who also belongs to the Liberal Party.
Authorities have implicated Co to the Aman Futures’ scam that duped investors of more than P12 billion last year. Aside from Co, Judge Alberto Quinto, of the Regional Trial Court in Lanao del Norte, also ordered the arrest of 9 others, including Malaysian national Manual Amalilio, founder of Aman Futures; Fernando Luna, Lelian Gan, Eduardo Lim, Welanie Fuentes, Naezelle Rodriguez, Lurix Lopez, Jerome Sanchez and Oliver Dequinto.
Manila has previously said it would not give special treatment to Co, who publicly denied all accusations against him and blamed his political opponents – Pulmones and Zamboanga del Sur Gov. Antonio Cerilles – for linking him to Ponzi scheme perpetrated by Aman Futures.
Co insisted he was not part of the scam, but a victim. Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said that based on documentary evidence, the mayor allegedly played a role in the scam. Maria Dona Coyme, one of the finance managers of Aman Futures, who earlier surrendered to the authorities, also implicated Co and wife, saying they allegedly sought investors for the group.
Amalilio has escaped last year to Malaysia after the collapse of his company, but had been arrested in Sabah on charges of holding a falsified document. Amalilio duped thousands of people in the southern Philippines by promising them 50% interests of all their investments. (With a report from Joenette Yankee)
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