TACLOBAN CITY — Borongan City Mayor Jose Ivan Dayan Agda has temporarily stepped aside from his post to serve a 90-day suspension ordered by the Ombudsman.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) provincial office in Eastern Samar formally served the suspension on Monday, marking the first day of his temporary leave. In the meantime, Vice Mayor Emmanuel Tiu Sonco will act as mayor until 25 February 2026, when the suspension is set to end.

The Ombudsman found Agda guilty of violating Republic Act 6713, the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials, based on a complaint filed in 2019. However, he was cleared of graft, corruption, and abuse of authority charges in two other cases.

For Agda, the decision feels like a vindication.

“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.”

He explained that the Ombudsman’s ruling stemmed from a technical error in filling out a form for his divestment in JIDCA Builders, the construction company he founded, which later won contracts for some city projects.

Interestingly, the Ombudsman released the suspension decision on 3 December, but it had not yet been served by the DILG. Agda proactively wrote to the agency to have the order served promptly so he could comply without delay.

For now, the city is under the leadership of Vice Mayor Sonco, while Agda looks forward to returning to office once his suspension concludes.