Samar governor Mila Tan suspended, Redaja assumed into office

By MYRA M. TAMBOR
November 12, 2008

CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar  –  Samar Vice Governor Jesus B. Redaja assumed into office as the Acting Governor of this province on Tuesday following the suspension order from the Sandiganbayan 4th Division on the criminal case filed against elected Governor Milagrosa T. Tan.

Department of Interior and Local Government Region 8 Director William Paler served the suspension order.  The memorandum order signed by DILG Secretary Ronaldo Puno, directed the now suspended Governor Tan to cease and desist from further exercising the powers and performing the duties, functions and responsibilities of the Office of the Governor of Western Samar for a period of 90 days.  The memorandum order likewise directed the suspended Governor to yield the said position to the Vice Governor to assume the Office of the Governor in an acting capacity pursuant to section 46 of the Local Government Code of the Philippines.

Redaja, serving his second term as Vice Governor of the province, was sworn into office as Acting Governor by the DILG Regional Director Paler immediately after serving the memorandum order to Tan’s office.

In a separate memorandum, Redaja now in his capacity as acting governor is directed to assume, in an acting capacity, the office of the Governor while Tan’s temporary legal incapacity subsists. He is likewise mandated to cause the implementation of the 90 day preventive suspension of the other provincial government officials involved in the case.

Tan, along with her Provincial Administrative Officer Rolando Montejo, Provincial Accountant Romeo c. Reales, Provincial Budget Officer Maximo D. Sison and Property Inspector Officer Numeriano C. Legaspi are placed under preventive suspension for a period of 90 days starting upon receipt of the said order.