Minglanilla officials hit with 1-year suspension

The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the one-year suspension of Minglanilla Mayor Rajiv Enad, Vice Mayor Elanito “Lani” Peña, and town councilors who served during the previous term from 2022 to 2025.

The suspension stems from an administrative case filed in 2024, which accused the local officials of violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (Republic Act 3019) over the alleged unjustified denial of business permits in Sitio Napo, Barangay Guindarohan.

The complaint was filed by businessman Joshua Lapitan, who claimed that Enad, Peña and several councilors delayed and eventually denied permit renewals and applications for his family’s businesses, including a quarry-related application. Lapitan further alleged that the denial was influenced by former Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and that efforts to seek dialogue with the municipal government went unanswered.

Mayor Enad, however, has consistently denied any wrongdoing, saying the decision to withhold permits was driven by public safety concerns — not politics or profit. He cited the presence of ground cracks in Sitio Napo that were assessed to pose potential landslide risks, threatening more than 20 houses in the area.

According to Enad, environmental authorities had earlier issued a cease-and-desist order on quarry operations and recommended rehabilitation of the affected river portion, which reinforced the local government’s decision to take a stricter stance.

In a media interview, Enad said the issue boiled down to choosing between public safety and private business interests.

“Sometimes doing what is hard and doing what is right are the same thing. If this is the price of doing what’s right for my people, I will stand by my decision,” he said.

Enad confirmed that the suspension order has already been served and stressed that he respects the Office of the Ombudsman and the country’s legal processes. He added that he intends to exhaust all legal remedies available to him.

During the suspension period, Councilor Lheslen Enad, the mayor’s wife and the number one councilor, will serve as acting mayor, while Councilor Mulot Laput will take over as acting vice mayor to ensure continuity in local governance.