* 60-day suspension for Grave Abuse of Authority & Oppression
(Tagum City, Davao del Norte) – Davao del Norte Governor Edwin Jubahib has been served a Suspension Order by the Department of interior and Local Government following an Order from the Office of the President. He was meted a 60-day Preventive Suspension for Grave Abuse of Authority and Oppression.
Board Member Orly Amit
The order stemmed from a formal complaint filed on November 24, 2022 by Provincial Board Member Orly Amit before the Office of the President. The Malacanang Order which was signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin by Authority of the President reads in part: “ After preliminary evaluation and consideration of the parties allegations and evidence this Office finds strong evidence of guilt against Gov. Jubahib. Likewise given the gravity of the offense charged, there is a great probability that his continuance in office could influence the witnesses or pose a threat to the safety and integrity to the records and other evidence”.
The complaint is docketed as OP-DC Case as 22-L-100.
Wednesday, last week Jubahib got hold of an information that the suspension order will be served to him Wednesday. He frantically called on his supporters to rush to the provincial capitol and form a human barricade to deter the entry of the team he expected will serve his suspension.
Suspended Gov. Edwin Jubahib
At 8:00 a.m. Thursday, DILG Regional Director Abdullah Matalam together with police and military escorts arrived to serve the suspension order from the Office of the President but were prevented from entering the premises of the Capitol building where Jubahib was holding fort as the entrance was closed and barricaded by government vehicles and the governor’s loyalists.
To prevent untoward incident, Director Matalan and his team posted the prevention order at the front gate of the provincial capitol building.
An hour later, about 500 members of the tribal communities from Kapalong allegedly led by town Mayor Ma. Theresa Timbol joined the barricade.
In the meanwhile, DILG Director Matalam proceeded to the office of Vice Gov. De Carlo
Acting Gov. Oyo Uy
“Oyo” Uy (HnP Davao del Norte Chapter)and administer to him the oath as Acting Governor of the province in the duration of the suspension of Jubahib from office.
Suspended Jubahib vented his anger against the unjust order of Malacanang and his perceived political enemies. While the Malacanang directive did not mention the details of the complaints of Board Member Orly A. Amit, which led to wild speculations, the Mindanao Journal unearthed from its files events what could have been the bases of his complaints. These include the following:
1. A letter dated 03 November 2023 sent to Board Member Amit wherein he was advised by Gov. Edwin Jubahib that the “issued government service vehicle, Izuzu D-Max, bearing plate No. 1101-1202601 shall be recalled and must be returned to Provincial General Services Office as soon as possible”. No reason was cited why the said service vehicle has to be recalled. Amit returned the vehicle without fanfare.
2. In the Nov. 1, 2023 issue of the Daily Tribune, Bosrd Member Amit was quoted as saying that he vowed to put Governor Jubahib in jail after the latter accused him in a press conference for allegedly getting money from the government coffer.
The local legislator told the Daily Tribune that he was clueless about why he was being attacked by the governor, saying he couldn’t remember any instances or reasons why he earned the ire of Jubahib. Amit further defended himself and even challenged the governor to go to Samal Island to learn how he crafted his name in politics and nurtured it through the years.
3. Immediately prior to the Philippine barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE 2023) Amit claimed that Governor Jubahib held a conference where he urged voters not to support the endorsed candidates of political rivals, among them Davao del Norte Vice Governor Oyo Uy, Congressman Allan Dujali, and board member Amit since they will become thieves once they win and hold the positions.
While the Mindanao Journal reposted these events it does not however claim that these are the bases. Several attempts at contacting Board Member Amit had been unsuccessful. His Facebook postings suggest that he is in an extended lenten religious retreat. The legislator from the Island Garden City of Samal is known to be a pious person.
Thursday night last week , in a press conference, former President Rodrigo Duterte said that Jubahib can always go to the Supreme Court to get redress if he wants to. (Jun Ledesma)