MANILA – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has taken action to address the vacancy left by a municipal mayor in Mindoro Oriental. This decision comes in response to the suspension order issued by the Office of the Ombudsman, which found the mayor and another official guilty of simple misconduct for permitting illegal cockfighting activities five years ago.
Sangguniang Bayan member Elpidio Jarabe Jr. has been designated as the acting mayor during the duration of Mayor Rodegerio’s six-month suspension. This arrangement will remain in effect until Mayor Rodegerio completes his suspension period.
The DILG’s move follows the directive of Assistant Ombudsman Pilarita Lapitan, who instructed the immediate execution of the suspension decision against Gloria Mayor German Rodegerio and Wilfredo Sabado, an officer from the municipal Business Permit and Licensing Office.
In 2019, Rodegerio and Sabado authorized a total of 127 mayor’s permits for the Gloria Cockpit Arena (GCA), enabling it to host “illegal cockfights” at least four times a week. This decision was made public on Tuesday. The complainants alleged that the two officials conferred unwarranted benefits to GCA, despite its lack of a proper franchise.
However, a separate complaint involving grave misconduct and violation of Republic Act 6713, known as the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, filed against the two officials and several members of the Sangguniang Bayan, including Rodolfo Dapito, Crispin Bawasanta, Lauro De Belen, Norma Paz, Gregorio Favorito, Rose Ann Balbasto, and Henry Soberano, was dismissed due to insufficient merit.
Mayor Rodegerio defended his actions by asserting that he acted in good faith and continued the practices of his predecessors when granting permits to GCA. He justified this issuance based on municipal resolutions passed during past administrations, including the tenure of then-vice mayor Ramon Solas, who also lodged a complaint against him.
Gloria, comprising 27 villages, has a population of approximately 51,000 as indicated by the 2020 census. The town is situated about 77 kilometers away from Calapan, the provincial capital.
