BAGUIO CITY — The Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 1 in Bangued, Abra denied the plea of suspended municipal mayor of Pidigan, Abra his bid to extend the Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) for lack of merit.
On 10 January this year, members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) of Abra imposed a 60-days preventive suspension on Pidigan Mayor Domino Valera as cases against the official are ongoing.
Complaints of grave misconduct, conduct unbecoming of a public officer, conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, and violation of the Code of Ethical Standards for Public Officials were filed by three employees. Said employees complained about the non-release of their benefits.
On 17 January Valera filed a Petition for Certiorari with an application for a TRO and Writ of Preliminary Injunction but the TRO to as denied. On 24 February, he again filed another petition where a TRO was granted based on the allegation of extreme urgency in order not to disrupt public service, effective for 72 hours from the posting of the bond. The bond was posted the next day.
A summary hearing was conducted for the extension of the TRO where Valera’s camp as well as the presented witnesses. The Court stated that the suspended official failed to prove the urgent and paramount necessity to enjoin the implementation of his suspension.
“Unfortunately, in this case, the applicant failed to prove that the court must issue an extension of the TRO,” written in the decision. The order was issued on 28 February.