Vice Gov. Glenda Bongao assumes as Albay governor

Vice Governor Baby Glenda Ong-Bongao assumes office as the new governor of Albay on Monday following the six months preventive suspension of Governor Edcel Greco Alexandre “Grex” B. Lagman imposed by the Office of the Ombudsman due to jueteng payola bribery.

Bongao said that her office received a copy of the order from the Office of the Ombudsman dated October 10, 2024.  Following the Ombudsman directive for her to take the seat of the governor, Bongao wrote a letter to Rey B. Caceres, DILG provincial director informing him of the Ombudsman order.

“The Office of the Vice Governor has received a copy of the Order from the Office of the Ombudsman dated 10 October 2024 in OMB-L-A-MAY-24-0088 entitled “Alwin M. Nimo vs. Edcel Greco Alexandre Burce Lagman” through the Provincial Human Resource Management Office received this October 21, 2024,” Bongao said.

The Ombudsman ruling said that section 9, Rule III of Administrative Order No. 7, as amended, and Section 24 of Republic Act No. 6770, respondent Edcel Greco Alexandre B. Lagman, provincial governor of Albay is hereby placed under preventive suspension during the pendency of this case until its termination, but not to exceed the total period of six months, without pay.

In accordance, with Section 27, paragraph 1 of Republic Act No. 6770 and Memorandum Circular No. 01 of this office, this order is immediately executory.

Citing the provision of the Local Government Code (Section 46) temporary vacancy in the office of the local chief executive when the governor, city or municipal mayor, or punong barangay is temporarily incapacitated to perform his duties for physical or legal reasons the highest ranking official shall automatically exercise the powers and perform the duties and functions of the local chief executive concerned, except the power to appoint, suspend, or dismiss employees which can only be exercised if the period of temporary incapacity exceeds 30 working days.

“Considering the temporary incapacity of Governor Edcel Greco Alexandre B. Lagman, who is placed under a preventive suspension for a period of six months, I am respectfully informing your good office that I am formally assuming as acting governor of the provincial government of Albay effective immediately,” Bongao said in her letter to Caceres.

Lagman was suspended by the Office of the Ombudsman following the jueteng payola bribery.

Self-confessed jueteng bagman Alwin Nimo, former Barangay captain of Anislag Daraga town filed a complaint against Albay Governor Edcel Greco “Grex” Lagman for receiving P8 million in bribes from illegal gambling operators when he was the province’s vice governor.

Nimo filed a complaint for direct bribery, violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, and a law that provides stiffer penalties for illegal gambling.

But Lagman strongly denied the accusation and pointed to his political enemies. Lagman said that all the allegations in the complaint against him are false and are driven by political motives. “I have never received any jueteng payola,” Lagman said.

“The event I was expecting has come to pass. I have received my preventive suspension order from the Ombudsman. Therefore, Vice Governor Glenda has to assume as acting governor at the soonest possible time. All the good work that you have been doing will not be affected since my preventive suspension is personal to me,” Lagman said in his social media post.

“I will have a meeting with Vice Gov. Glenda as soon as possible to make sure she is briefed accordingly. I will fight this legally flawed preventive suspension. As a lawyer, the same has absolutely no legal basis. Even freshman law students agree. Rest assured that I will not be cowed into submission by the powers-that-be (i think you know who these people are),” Lagman said.

Lagman vowed to fight against his political opponents behind his suspension case. – BY RHAYDZ BARCIA