Court of Appeals stops Ombudsman from suspending Lipa mayor

August 10, 2018

The Court of Appeals has stopped the Office of the Ombudsman from implementing its suspension of  Lipa City Mayor Meynard Sabili by issuing a 60-day temporary restraining order.

The resolution was issued on August 9 by the Court of Appeals' Fourth Division.

“The basic purpose of the restraining order is to preserve the status quo until the hearing of the application for preliminary injunction. It is a preservative remedy for the protection of substantive rights and interests,” the CA stressed.

This was the second suspension issued by then Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales against Sabili. In 2016, the Lipa City mayor was suspended for the first time, but he was able to secure a TRO from the Supreme Court.

In this case, Sabili was suspended by Morales on the basis of a complaint filed by former Lipa City Social Welfare Development Officer Teresita Pesa on September 15, 2010 after she was installed into a "floating position" and transferred to a different assignment.

Sabili said the reshuffling was necessary to clean the ranks in the city hall and it is within his authority as mayor. DMS