An elated Gov. Roel Degamo last night told his supporters holding vigil at the Capitol in Dumaguete City that he has secured a temporary restraining order from the Court of Appeals against the dismissal resolution of the Office of the Ombudsman.

 

He called on Capitol employees and officials to attend the flag-raising ceremony at 8 a.m. today when he will announce the details of the TRO and the next actions he would take.

Degamo has been holed up at his office at the Capitol since Friday last week, after Department of Interior and Local Government Negros Island Region OIC director, Margie Biligan, served a copy of the dismissal order at past 4 p.m.

Degamo had refused to receive the order, and claimed the DILG’s implementation of the Ombudsman’s order was illegal and highly irregular.

Meanwhile, Comelec Provincial Election Supervisor Edi Aba said Degamo may assume as governor June 30 after he was re-elected in the May 9 polls, but without prejudice to rulings made by other agencies, such as the Ombudsman and the DILG.

Aba said he respects the decision of the Ombudsman as an independent body, but as far as the Comelec is concerned, Degamo may sit as governor noon of June 30.

He said that Degamo was voted by an overwhelming majority of more than 321,141 votes, was proclaimed by the Comelec and has taken his oath of office so the next process is for him to assume the position he won in the May elections.

Board Member Rommel Erames stressed that what has been done cannot anymore be undone, referring to the execution of the dismissal order June 17, and the immediate assumption of re-elected Vice Gov. Edward Mark Macias as governor.*JG