THE Office of the Ombudsman has issued a suspension order against San Simon, Pampanga Mayor Abundio Punsalan Jr. in relation to extortion allegations.
Acting Ombudsman Dante Vargas said Punsalan is suspended for the duration of the proceedings until it is terminated, but should not exceed six months, without pay.
He said the suspension order aims to ensure a just, fair and independent disposition of the present cases.
“Based on the evidence on record, it is preliminarily established that the guilt of the Respondent Abundio ‘Jun’ S. Punsalan Jr. is strong and the charges against him involve grave misconduct, serious dishonesty and conduct prejudicial against the interest of the service which, if duly proven, would warrant the penalty of removal from the service,” the resolution stated.
On August 5, Punsalan was arrested in an entrapment operation conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for allegedly accepting part of an P80 million bribe in exchange for a favorable resolution from the local government, as alleged by the complainant, Realsteel Corporation. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)
