The mayor of San Fernando, La Union starts to serve the 90-day suspension slapped by the Sandiganbayan today, March 1.

This after the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) served the Sandiganbayan order for the suspension of mayor Herminigildo “Dong” Gualberto, said City Interior and Local Government Officer Lily Ann Calisao.

Calisao said Gualberto’s suspension is in connection to the criminal case filed by the Ombudsman against the mayor.

Gualberto was charged by the Ombudsman for graft and corruption for his alleged misutilizastion of the 20 percent Development Fund of said city for the upgrading of the City Plaza.

The complaint for grave misconduct, gross neglect of duty, grave abuse of authority and technical malversation of funds for the use of P66.5 million from the 2017 and 2018 internal development fund of San Fernando for the development of the City Plaza was filed by some barangay captains of La Union January last year.

In April 15, 2020, Gualberto was suspended for six months by the Ombudsman. On September also last year, the 13th Division of the Court of Appeals rejected an order from the Ombudsman to dismiss him from service.

Gualberto was able to assume office in November 4, last year.

Colisao said that vice mayor Alfredo Pablo 0rtega will assume the leadership of the city until the end of Gualberto’s 90-day suspension.