Borongan Mayor Agda steps down for 90-day suspension

TACLOBAN CITY — Borongan City Mayor Jose Ivan Dayan Agda temporarily relinquished his post to serve a 90-day suspension imposed by the Ombudsman.

The Department of Interior and Local Government provincial office in Eastern Samar served the suspension order on Monday, 1 December, which also served as the first day of his suspension.

The DILG named Vice Mayor Emmanuel Tiu Sonco as the acting mayor until 25 February 2026, when the suspension ends.

The Ombudsman found Agda guilty of violating Republic Act 6713, or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, for a complaint filed in 2019.

The agency, however, found Agda not guilty of two other complaints — for graft and corruption and abuse of authority.

Agda welcomed the Ombudsman’s decision as a vindication and a victory.

"It cleared my name of accusations of corruption and abusing the power that my constituents gave me," he said. "I can face the Boronganons and proudly tell them that I never abused the power they entrusted me."

Agda said the Ombudsman finding was due to an error in filling out a form for his divestment in JIDCA Builders, a construction company that he founded, which eventually won some contracts for projects implemented in the city.

The Ombudsman released the decision suspending Agda for 90 days last 3 December, but it was not served by the DILG.

Agda said he wrote the DILG to serve his suspension order so he would be able to comply with the order at the earliest possible time.