SB assures fair treatment for suspended village chief

By Felipe V. Celino 

ROXAS CITY, Capiz – The Sangguniang Bayan of Pontevedra, Capiz assured a fair and impartial investigation on the administrative case filed by a senior citizen against suspended punong barangay Restituto “Resty” Oquendo Sr. of Hipona.

SB Member Vicente “Odol” Dangan, chairman of the committee of the whole, gave the assurance after the body took cognizance of the case filed by Merlinda and Rosalie Navarro against Oquendo.

Dangan said that they will invite both parties during the investigation and they will decide based on the documents and other evidence submitted to the committee of the whole.

The SB recently preventively suspended Oquendo for 60 days while the investigation is ongoing.

Mayor Esteban Contreras enforced the suspension on July 14, 2021.

The order was based on Resolution No. 1 of the Committee of the Whole of the Sangguniang Bayan on July 12, 2021.

The committee recommended the preventive suspension following the administrative complaint filed against Oquendo.

Contreras issued a Memorandum Order to implement the preventive suspension so that Oquendo could not influence the ongoing investigation on the administrative case.

The administrative complaint was filed after Oquendo allegedly upturned the table filled with vegetables and spices sold by the Navarros.

Oquendo is the father of Restituto “Sultan” Oquendo Jr. who is presently at large after he was tagged in the shooting to death of couple Noly and Jauara Navarro last month.

Merlinda and Norly were cousins who sold vegetables and pork, respectively, in the old public market of the barangay.

The village chief was allegedly upset after the Navarros refused to vacate and transfer their businesses to the new market which was reportedly owned by Oquendo.