The Antique Provincial Board has once again called on the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to appoint temporary replacements for eight board members suspended by the Office of the Ombudsman, as the lack of quorum continues to stall legislative work.
Vice Governor Edgar Denosta said only six members, including himself, were present during their most recent session, falling short of the required quorum.
The board members in attendance were Dante Beriong, Pio Jessielito Sumande Sr., Noel Alamis, Emmanuel Palacios, and Karmila Rose Dimamay.
Eight members—Egidio Elio, Rony Molina, Victor Condez, Alfie Jay Niquia, Mayella Mae Ladislao, Plaridel Sanchez IV, Kenneth Dave Gasalao, and Julius Cezar Tajanlangit—were suspended by the Ombudsman on March 7 over complaints of grave misconduct and abuse of authority. The suspension stemmed from the board’s move to override Governor Rhodora Cadiao’s veto and allocate zero funding for three solar projects totaling PHP765 million.
Denosta noted they had written to the DILG on March 16 and followed up again on May 16, but received no response.
With the current board’s term ending on June 30, Denosta stressed the urgency of addressing pending appropriation ordinances for eight municipalities and approving Governor Cadiao’s proposed 2025 Supplemental Annual Investment Program.
