The order is based on the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Resolution 8538 dated 29 April 2024, citing Administrative Case 01-2024 against the mayor for alleged ‘gross neglect of duty, grave abuse of authority, gross misconduct in the performance of duty and violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (RA 3019)’
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — The Provincial Government served another 60-day preventive suspension order to San Simon Mayor Abundio “JP” Punsalan on Monday.
The order is based on the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Resolution 8538 dated 29 April 2024, citing Administrative Case No. 01-2024 against the mayor for alleged “gross neglect of duty, grave abuse of authority, gross misconduct in the performance of duty, and violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (RA 3019).”
Governor Dennis Pineda signed Punsalan’s 60-day preventive suspension order as part of the Provincial Government’s assurance that the ongoing case against the San Simon mayor remain unbiased. Vice Mayor Romanoel Santos is currently the top city official until the end of the suspension order.
This is the fourth time that Punsalan was suspended during his term as mayor of San Simon.
The first was in November of 2020 when Governor Pineda also ordered a 60-day prevention suspension on Punsalan along with then councilors Romanoel Santos, Mark Macapagal, Irene Dagdag, Randell Bondoc, Archiebald Basilio, and Alekseyevich Vergara on the strength of SP Resolution No. 5529 arising from the same administrative case over the land purchase.
This was followed in July of 2021, when the Department of the Interior and Local Government served Punsalan a six-month suspension order after the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Pampanga found him and five other councilors guilty of “dishonesty, grave misconduct in office, gross negligence, gross dereliction of duty, and grave abuse of authority.” The order was related on the purchase of that parcel of land near the municipal hall in 2020.
And lastly in June of 2023 when Punsalan, Santos and five other members of the Sangguniang Bayan were suspended by the Office of the Ombudsman for “simple neglect of duty and simple misconduct” in the reclassification of a parcel of land in 2020.
Councilor Ryan Viray took over the mayorship until March 2024 with the end of the suspension period.
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