Punong Brgy suspended due to alleged ethics law violation

By Manly Ugalde

TABACO, ALBAY --- A barangay chairman who earlier sought the suspension of four of his councilors for repeatedly skipping the mandatory Monday flag-raising ceremony has himself been suspended, this time for violating the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.

The Office of the Ombudsman ordered the suspension of Barangay San Roque Chairman Elias Bobiles, along with Barangay Secretary Elsa Borleo and Treasurer Evelyn Barrameda, in connection with administrative complaints filed against them by three of the barangay councilors he had earlier reported to the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP).

Earlier, Bobiles filed a complaint before the Tabaco City SP against four of his kagawads for allegedly failing to attend the mandatory flag-raising ceremony every Monday. The SP subsequently imposed a one-month suspension without pay on Cherrel Binalla, Jonathan Broquesa, Mark Binalingbing and Rodel Bonaobra.

Binalla, in particular, was accused of failing to attend the ceremony for six consecutive months despite being present in the barangay. The SP issued its resolution on July 28.

In a separate case, the Ombudsman ordered the suspension of Bobiles, Borleo and Barrameda over their alleged violation of Republic Act 6713, or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.

According to a copy of the Ombudsman order received by the Office of the Mayor, the case stemmed from 34 complaints filed in 2024 by Binalla, Broquesa and Binalingbing against the three barangay officials.

Bobiles said nine of the 34 cases were criminal in nature and involved allegations of graft and corruption, but these were dismissed.

Of the 24 administrative complaints, only one was given due consideration by the Ombudsman, according to Bobiles. He said the case involved his failure to submit written responses to letters sent by the complainants.

The Ombudsman noted that Bobiles should have responded to the complaints in writing rather than merely giving oral explanations, according to the decision.

A Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) source said violations of RA 6713 remain common in government, particularly at the barangay level, where some elected officials continue to be unfamiliar with the law despite attending seminars and training on ethical standards.

Documents obtained by the Bicol Mail also showed that a former barangay chairman had been charged before the Sangguniang Panlungsod decades ago, although the complaint was eventually dismissed.

The complaint involved the former chairman’s alleged refusal to sign a resident’s request for a barangay certification. The chairman reportedly cited his strained relationship with the resident as the reason for refusing to sign the document.

The complainant later claimed that the respondent’s political connections had spared him from suspension or a similar penalty and argued that the matter should instead have been brought before the Ombudsman.

It was not immediately clear why Binalla and her fellow kagawads chose to bring their complaints against Bobiles before the Ombudsman while Bobiles’ complaint against the four councilors was filed before the Sangguniang Panlungsod.