LOILO CITY- In what could be a first in the history of the province of Iloilo, the provincial board on Tuesday voted to censure its "rogue" presiding officer for repeated absences from its sessions.

Voting 9-3, the board adopted the joint report of the committee on justice, good government and human rights and committee on rules, privileges, ethics and accountability censuring Vice Gov. Roberto Armada "in the strongest terms." The board cited as basis for the disciplinary action the four consecutive absences of Armada in its weekly sessions from January 23. Armada was also absent from the recent session and only sent his lawyers during the committee deliberation of the report on Monday.

It said the disciplinary action is based on the Local Government Code and the internal rules of procedures of the board that provides penalties for any member who incurs absences without justifiable causes for consecutive sessions.

"There is no doubt that such absence without justifiable cause of Hon. Roberto Armada merits disciplinary measure. And such action should not be emulated by future occupants of the office of the Vice Governor," the report said.

Armada downplayed the censure and said he will not hold office as vice governor until the Court of Appeals decide on the order of the Ombudsman dismissing Gov. Niel Tupas Sr. from office.

"Censure is non-binding. In parliamentary parlance, it's just an expression of disapproval," Armada said in a text message. Armada said he will wait for the ruling of the appellate court whether to lift the temporary restraining order or grant a preliminary injunction in favor of Tupas.

The CA in Cebu City issued a 60-day TRO on January 17 barring the implementation of the dismissal order against Tupas and two provincial board members Domingo Oso Jr. and Cecilia Capadosa who were found guilty of graft.

The TRO stopped the armed assault on the provincial capitol by around 200 fully-armed policemen to enforce the dismissal order.

Armada had filed a petition asking for the lifting of the TRO calling the order "moot and academic". The case is now pending resolution.

He insists that he is the legitimate governor because he was sworn into office on January 15 by Interior Undersecretary Wencelito Andanar.

But Andanar had issued a memorandum on January 19 ordering Armada "to cease and desist from further performing the functions of the Office of the Governor and relinquish the same in favor of Governor Tupas."

Armada has refused to abide by the order saying reassuming the vice governorship will weaken his case against the TRO because he already took an oath of office as governor.

He said he filed for a leave of absence before the Department of Interior and Local Government while his legal question related to his position is still being resolved. But DILG regional director Evelyn Trompeta said Armada should abide by the order to reassume his post while the courts have yet to decide on the legal questions.

"The (provincial board) recognizes his predicament, yet, the body could not just tolerate and give imprimatur to the conservative absences of the rouge vice governor of the province," said the report presented by board member Domingo Oso Jr., chair of the committee on justice, good government and human rights.

The provincial board pointed out that Armada should reassume his post because "the very authority that he claims installed him to the office of the governor is now the same authority that divested him of such power." Those who voted for the censure of Armada were allies of Tupas including the governor's son Niel Tupas Jr., along with Oso, Capadosa, Eric Barbosa Sr., Angel Briones, Jeneda Salcedo, Romeo Palmares, Lilia Gonzales and Rodolfo Cabado.

Those who opposed the censure were Bernardo Silla, Macario Napulan and Emmanuel Gallar who said the vice governor was not given due process, the same complaint that Governor Tupas made when he was handed down the dismissal order from the Ombudsman.*NPB

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