TABUK CITY, Kalinga—Gov. Jocel C. Baac voluntarily stepped down from office last Friday to serve a six-month suspension meted him by the Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for Northern Luzon after allegedly manhandling a provincial official inside his office in May 2015.
The Ombudsman found merit in the complaint filed by the Kalinga provincial board, which accused Baac of grave misconduct, oppression, abuse of authority and conduct unbecoming of a public officer for allegedly punching board secretary Mathew Matbagan.
Baac had invited Matbagan to his office to inquire on the words that were used in a resolution regarding the operation of a hospital, which the governor found “not appealing to him,” per the Ombudsman report.
Marlo Iringan, Cordillera director of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, served the suspension order and installed Vice Gov. James Edduba as acting governor until the expiration of the six-month period.
Senior board member Shirlynne Dasayon-Alunday was installed as the province’s acting vice governor for the duration of Baac’s suspension.