Bacolod Councilor Carlos Jose Lopez has requested the Office of the Ombudsman in the Visayas to preventively suspend Mayor Monico Puentevella during the investigation of the administrative case he filed against him for violation of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.

Puentevella, represented by City Legal Officer Rayfrando Diaz ll, on the other hand, filed a motion for extension of time to file his counter-affidavit Tuesday.

In his complaint affidavit dated June 20, Lopez said that on Aug. 30, 2013, he sent a letter to the Office of the Mayor requesting for a copy of plans of the city sewage and waterways system and for the delivery of volcanic sand to Barangay 8, Bacolod City, which was not acted upon within 15 days.

Lopez said a follow-up letter was sent to the Office of the Mayor on Sept. 27, 2013 and was received by the office on the same day, but has not also been acted upon for more than 15 days.

A third follow-up letter on the same subject matter was sent to the Office of the mayor on May 8, 2014, and was also received by the office of Puentevella, yet until the present, Puentevella has not acted upon it nor responded to the letters, he said.

Lopez said Puentevella has violated the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, or R.A. 6713 section 5 (a), for not responding or acting promptly on the letters.

He said that section 11 (a) of R.A. 6713 states that any official or employee, regardless of whether or not he holds office or employment in a casual, temporary, holdover, permanent or regular capacity, committing any violation of this Act, will be punished with a fine not exceeding the equivalent of six months' salary, or suspension not exceeding one year, or removal, depending on the gravity of the offense, and after due notice and hearing by the appropriate body or agency.

Meanwhile, Diaz said he received the order of the Ombudsman on August 22 that gave him 10 days within which to file his counter-affidavit.

However, since he assumed office as the new City Leal Officer of Bacolod on August 1, he has no sufficient time to review the case and prepare the counter-affidavit within the period required and will need an additional 10 days from Sept. 1 within which to do so, he said.*CGS

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