• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
A councilor of the municipality of La Castellana in Negros Occidental, who was tagged in a police recruitment scam that reportedly victimized 47 aspiring police officers, has been expelled from the municipal council, Mayor Alme Rhumyla Mangilimutan disclosed yesterday.
Mangilimutan said the expulsion of Councilor Donato Dumaguit from the La Castellana Sangguniang Bayan, was decided by seven members of the municipal council, mainly due to incurring 14 absences from their sessions.
The expulsion was also concurred by the Provincial Legal Office of the provincial government of Negros Occidental, based on the recommendation and decision of the Sangguniang Bayan, she added.
Dumaguit was replaced by Kent Magnabe, a nurse in profession, who ranked ninth among the candidates for councilor of La Castellana during the 2022 elections.
Magnabe, accompanied by Mayor Mangilimutan, took his oath of office before Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson on March 18 at the Provincial Capitol in Bacolod City.
Mangilimutan clarified that the expulsion of Dumaguit had nothing to do with cases filed against him before the court, but is because of the absences he had incurred as a member of the municipal council.
The mayor also said that she is looking forward to Councilor Magnabe being one of those effective, committed, and efficient members of the Sangguniang Bayan.
Magnabe, who is a member of the United Negros Alliance (UNEGA), said he was elated by his appointment, as he thanked Mayor Mangilimutan for the recommendation to replace Dumaguit.
He assured La Castellana residents that he will do his utmost best in serving them.*
