KORONADAL CITY鈥擜 court here ordered the removal of Mayor Eliordo Ogena from office after finding that he was legally unfit to hold public office.
Judge Jordan Reyes of Regional Trial Court Branch 42 issued the order based on a quo warranto petition filed by Vice Mayor Peter Miguel, who cited Ogena鈥檚 having 鈥渃ommitted an offense involving moral turpitude鈥� as a ground for his disqualification for holding public office.
鈥楿苍濒补飞蹿耻濒鈥�
In 2016, the Supreme Court found Ogena, a lawyer, guilty of engaging in 鈥渦nlawful, dishonest, immoral or deceitful conduct鈥� for notarizing some documents. It suspended Ogena from practicing law for two years and permanently barred him from being a notary public.
Ogena, who ran and won as mayor in the May 2019 elections, said his camp already received the Koronadal court鈥檚 order and that his lawyers were preparing an appeal.
He refused to vacate his post, saying the decision was not immediately executory.鈥擝ONG S. SARMIENTO