Armada back in office
Vice Gov. Roberto Armada assumed his original post yesterday, ending a two month-long leave of absence following the turmoil in the Capitol caused by the dismissal of Gov. Niel Tupas.
"I want to inform everyone that I am assuming my post as vice governor of the Province of Iloilo. This is out of the promise I made to the people that if there will be an injunction or lifting of the TRO, I will re-assume. So this ends my month-long leave of absence,"
Armada announced during yesterday's press conference at his office.
Last January 15, Interior Usec. Wencelito Andanar swore him to replace Gov. Niel Tupas, who was ordered dismissed by Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez. But Armada was not able to enter into his functions as governor because Tupas refused to vacate his post. Two hundred police personnel were deployed to bodily remove Tupas from the Capitol, but were prevented when the Court of Appeals issued a 60-day temporary restraining order.
Despite the TRO, Armada insisted that he was still the governor because he had already taken his oath.
Friday last week, the Court of Appeals issued a writ of preliminary injunction preventing Gutierrez and Interior Sec. Ronaldo Puno from executing the dismissal order against Tupas and Board Members Domingo Oso and Cecilia Capadosa. The Writ was issued a day before the TRO was to expire.
"It's good to be back at my office," a relaxed Armada expressed. He showed to reporters a certificate of appearance issued by Department of Interior and Local Government's Bureau of Local Government Supervision to prove that he has already started performing his functions as vice governor.
He stressed though that they are not giving up on the case against Tupas.
"But it does not mean that our legal team is abandoning the case," he reiterated.
"We will pursue the case," he said.
Armada's lawyers will ask the CA's 19th division to reconsider its issuance of the injunction. A petition will also be filed with the Supreme Court to question the validity of the injunction for failure by Tupas to file a bond.
The vice governor pointed out that under the law, no injunction can be issued without the applicant posting a bond.
The order (by the CA) does not show that they (Tupas) filed a bond for the issuance of the injunction, Armada noted.