Timbang takes oath as acting Bamban mayor for 3 months

Municipal Councilor Erano Timbang took his oath on August 14 as the acting mayor of Bamban, Tarlac, a position he will hold for three months.

He replaces Alice Guo, who was dismissed by the Ombudsman for grave misconduct due to alleged links to a raided POGO firm.

The Ombudsman also suspended Vice Mayor Leonardo Anunciacion and nine other councilors for three months for conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

With the Vice Mayor and councilors suspended, Timbang was sworn in by Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin "Benhur" Abalos, Jr. at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

Secretary Abalos explained that Timbang was appointed to ensure the town's operations could continue despite the suspensions.

Timbang vowed to continue providing services to the residents, even as he might be the only official in the town for a time.

The DILG is working on appointing replacements for the suspended vice mayor and councilors, with two slots for the Nationalist People's Coalition, one for Aksyon Demokratiko, and five open applications.