Suspended Cebu Gov. Garcia must be treated fairly, says Marcos
Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia (File photo by DALE ISRAEL / Inquirer Visayas)
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday said suspended Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia deserves to be treated “fairly and with the respect owed to her office.”
Marcos’ statement comes amid ongoing proceedings on Garcia’s suspension.
Citing the national and local elections scheduled for May 12, Marcos said it is highly important for the government to uphold the rule of law to ensure due process is observed.
READ: Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia faces 6-month suspension
“Any action that affects the mandate of a duly elected official must go through the proper channels and in accordance with the Constitution and the Omnibus Election Code,” Marcos said.
“Governor Garcia has served Cebu with strength and consistency,” the president recalled.
“Until all legal questions surrounding this suspension are resolved, she deserves to be treated fairly and with the respect owed to her office,” he emphasized.
He also stressed that politics should not get in the way of public service.
“We must always be guided by the law, by prudence, and by what is best for the Filipino people,” Marcos further said.
The Office of the Ombudsman on Tuesday ordered a six-month preventive suspension against reelectionist Garcia to pave the way for an investigation into the permit she granted to a construction firm that had no environmental clearance.
She is facing a complaint for issuing a special permit to Shalom Construction Inc. in May 2024, allegedly without the mandatory clearances from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
