Mingla mayor, vice mayor suspended

Local

A SIGNIFICANT shakeup hit the local government of Minglanilla on Monday, Feb. 2, as a suspension order was served against top town officials.

The one-year suspension without pay stems from an administrative case involving their failure to issue a required permit in response to public safety concerns.

Mayor Rajiv Enad, Vice Mayor Lani Peña, and former councilors from the previous term received the suspension order in person, marking a rare instance of officials directly accepting such a decision.

The case centers on safety measures for residents in Sitio Napo, Barangay Guindarohan, where ground cracks were identified as potential landslide risks.

Enad clarified that the suspension is entirely separate from his recent stance on Cebu City’s proposal to use Minglanilla as a landfill for waste disposal.

Enad, who had publicly rejected the waste proposal due to concerns over environmental and health risks, explained that the administrative case relates solely to municipal actions taken in response to the safety concerns in Sitio Napo.

“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," he added.

The complaint, filed several years ago by private entities associated with the Minglanilla landfill operator, had already seen multiple similar cases dismissed.

This one remains unresolved.

Enad also noted that during a recent emergency meeting on January 22 at the Capitol, where Cebu City’s waste disposal situation was discussed, his refusal to host Cebu City’s garbage was briefly mentioned in the context of the ongoing administrative case, though it was unrelated to the subject matter of the meeting.

Although Enad chose not to delve into the specifics of the case, he reiterated that the municipal actions were aimed solely at protecting public safety and the general welfare.

“I respect the Office of the Ombudsman and the processes of our institutions,” Enad said, pledging to exhaust all legal remedies available.

In a statement on Facebook, Enad assured the people of Minglanilla that he would remain committed to their well-being despite the suspension.

“This is a moment in Minglanilla’s history when I as mayor will have to ask myself, will I protect my people, or will I protect myself and my position?” he wrote.

“The easiest way would have been to protect myself, and let the negative consequences fall on my people. But that is not public service," he added.

During his absence, his wife, Councilor Lheslen will assume the role of acting mayor, with Councilor Mulot Laput stepping in as vice mayor.

All council seats will remain vacant unless otherwise legally filled.

Enad concluded his post with a promise to return with the same commitment he’s always had for Minglanilla.

“We will take the blow, we will take the heat, so that you, my people, will take no harm,” he said, reaffirming his resolve to put the people’s welfare above personal gain.(MyTVCebu)