Councilor Cleared in POGO Probe Replaces Alice Guo; Gets Sworn in as Acting Bamban Mayor

Following the dismissal of Mayor Alice Guo, Councilor Erano Timbang has been appointed as the acting mayor of Bamban, Tarlac. The Office of the Ombudsman ordered Guo’s removal after finding her guilty of grave misconduct linked to the illegal activities of a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) in the town.

Bamban’s Vice Mayor, Leonardo Anunciacion, should have succeeded former mayor Alice Guo. However, Anunciacion is also serving a three-month suspension due to his involvement in the same POGO controversy. Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr. administered Timbang’s oath of office at Camp Crame, emphasizing the need for uninterrupted government services in Bamban.

“We go by succession, however, kung wala ang mayor, it should be the vice mayor. Pero ang vice mayor ay suspended ng tatlong buwan, ang problema kung suspended ng tatlong buwan sino ang pipirma sa mga pasweldo, tubig, kuryente, kinakailangang permit so maglalagay muna kami ng uupo ng tatlong buwan,” Abalos stated during the ceremony. With both the mayor and vice mayor sidelined, the responsibility fell to Timbang, the highest-ranking municipal councilor, as outlined in the Local Government Code of 1991.

Timbang was the only councilor spared from suspension by the Ombudsman, as he had opposed the issuance of permits to Zun Yuan Technology Inc., the POGO hub at the center of the scandal. The POGO was raided in March for alleged human trafficking, leading to the broader investigation that ensnared several local officials.

“Sa simula pa lang po pagtuntong ko pa lang bilang independent, naramdaman ko na po hindi ako kaalyado talaga nila. Na-outnumber ako lalo sa usaping legal na kahit na baluktot nagiging tama, yung baluktot, nagiging diretso,” Timbang was quoted as saying in an Inquirer report, reflecting on his solitary stance against the POGO permits.

As acting mayor, Timbang has pledged to continue the projects of the previous administration while ensuring the town’s governance remains steady during this tumultuous period. Vice Mayor Anunciacion is expected to assume the mayoral post after completing his suspension, by succession, as stipulated by law.

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