Santiago mayor gets travel hold order for nepotism case

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya — Mayor Amelita Navarro of Santiago City, Isabela is reportedly banned from leaving the country in connection with the nepotism case filed against her before the Sandiganbayan. Local radio and television reported over the weekend that the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation issued a hold departure order against the embattled local chief executive whose arraignment is set for Sept. 23. Navarro's arraignment was ordered by the Sandiganbayan after the Office of the Ombudsman found probable cause to indict her for nepotism. The arraignment before the Sandiganbayan's Third Division was the result of the Ombudsman's denial of the motion for reconsideration and supplemental motions furnished on July 12 by the mayor's legal team. Navarro has been under fire for allegedly appointing her husband, former Isabela board member Jose, in the Santiago Water District's (Sanwad) board in 2005. Her act, according to a 13-page manifestation by Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez, through assistant special prosecutor Leni Bajo-Padaca, is prohibited under the Revised Administrative Code of the Philippines. The manifestation declared in part that "Navarro took advantage of her position in appointing her husband to a government-owned and -controlled corporation [GOCC]." It said Sanwad, a GOCC, is covered by the Revised Administrative Code of the Philippines that provides that an appointing authority is prohibited from appointing relatives by consanguinity or affinity within the third degree to the civil service, government-owned agencies, or instrumentalities. The media has been trying to contact Navarro but calls and text messages to her mobile phone remain unanswered. The nepotism case was separately filed in 2005 by former Vice Vayor Armando Tan and Lydia Makiling, former village councilor of the city's Dubinan East village. —JE, GMANews.TV