Acting mayor vows to address trash woes

By Felipe V. Celino

ROXAS City, Capiz – Acting Mayor Braulio Godfrey “Botoy” Asis has pledged to tackle the long-standing garbage issue in President Roxas, Capiz.

Asis, who took office on the afternoon of February 12, committed to finding a solution for the town’s waste disposal, which has been a persistent problem. He highlighted that the town’s previous dumpsite was shut down due to sanitary violations.

In a discussion with the Daily Guardian, he mentioned that he is searching for a suitable location to establish a sanitary landfill.

His assumption of office followed Mayor Receliste “Tanoy” Escolin’s acceptance of a three-month suspension imposed by the Office of the Ombudsman last year.

The suspension, enforced by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) provincial office in coordination with the office of Gov. Fredenil Oto Castro, came into effect shortly before Escolin shared in a Facebook live interview his intention to comply with the Ombudsman’s decision. This was despite his Omnibus Motion for Reconsideration, which included a request to delay the suspension’s implementation, remaining unresolved.

Escolin admitted his only mistake was not securing a travel order from the appropriate authority before attending an official event in Metro Manila. He announced that he would take a break but assured that his service to the people of President Roxas would persist.

“Even though I remain mayor, I can no longer sign documents related to running the municipality,” he said in the local language.

An emotional Escolin expressed gratitude towards municipal officials and the townspeople for their support during his tenure as mayor in the live interview.

He also disclosed his intention to explore the 1st District of Capiz while awaiting the end of his suspension and announced plans to run for Congress in the next election, as his mayoral term concludes the following year.

The complaint against Escolin was filed by former vice mayor and now Cabug-cabug Barangay Captain Alfonso Golero for a 2017 trip to Metro Manila taken by Escolin without a travel order from then Gov. Antonio del Rosario, the only official authorized to issue such orders.

Although the Office of the Ombudsman dismissed the charges of abuse of authority and grave misconduct filed by Golero, it found sufficient evidence of simple misconduct by Escolin, leading to his three-month suspension.