Minglanilla mayor, vice mayor, councilors suspended one year
CEBU CITY – Days after he refused the disposal of garbage from Cebu City, the mayor of Minglanilla town, Cebu province was suspended for one year.A suspension order from the Office of the Ombudsman was served on Monday, Feb. 2, against Minglanilla Mayor Rajiv Enad, Vice Mayor Lani Peña, and members of the municipal council from the previous term.Their suspension stemmed from an administrative case involving the alleged non-issuance of a permit.The serving of the suspension went smooth as all the town officials received the written order in person at the municipal session hall.When asked if the suspension had any connection to his public refusal to allow the use of a landfill in Minglanilla for Cebu City’s garbage, Enad clarified that the administrative case is separate and distinct from the recent discussions on solid waste management.He explained that the case relates to municipal actions taken in response to safety concerns affecting residents of Sitio Napo in Barangay Guindarohan, where ground cracks were observed and assessed to pose potential landslide risks.“Public service is not about convenience or self-preservation,” Enad said. “It is about making difficult decisions guided by what is right. Even when the consequences are personal, my responsibility is to stand by what protects the people I serve and to face these challenges through the proper legal process.”The suspension stemmed from a complaint filed several years ago by private entities associated with the operator of the Minglanilla landfill. Local officials noted that multiple similar cases filed by the same group in the past had already been dismissed, with this case being the only remaining unresolved.Enad declined to discuss the merits of the case in detail, stating that the issues involved are now properly addressed through legal channels.He emphasized, however, that the municipal actions cited in the complaint were undertaken in the exercise of regulatory authority and with the primary objective of protecting public safety and the general welfare.Enad was suspended days after he attended an emergency meeting on Jan. 22 at the Capitol convened by Gov. Pam Baricuatro, where officials from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), including Secretary Raphael Lotilla, as well as representatives from the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), DENR-7, and Cebu City officials discussed Cebu City’s solid waste situation.During the meeting, Minglanilla was identified as one of several areas being considered as a possible temporary option for waste disposal, a proposal the mayor publicly declined.Municipal officials also noted that, during the presentation, reference was made to the existence of a pending administrative case involving the mayor, although it was unrelated to the subject matter of the meeting. Enad did not comment further on this point.Enad reiterated that his refusal to host waste from outside the municipality was not intended to offend any party but was grounded on the municipality’s duty to protect its environment, water sources, and the welfare of its residents.He underscored that he will respect the legal process and exhaust all remedies available under the law to address the suspension, while ensuring that municipal services remain uninterrupted for the people of Minglanilla.While serving the suspension, Enad\'s wife, Councilor Lheslen will be acting mayor, with Councilor Mulot Laput stepping in as vice mayor."I respect the Office of the Ombudsman and the processes of our institutions," Enad stressed.
2026-02-02 10:21:00