Dumaguete City Councilor Suspended for Nine Months Over Graft Allegations

DUMAGUETE – The Department of the Interior and Local Government in Central Visayas (DILG-7) has imposed a nine-month suspension on Joe Kenneth Arbas, a city councilor of Dumaguete, the capital of Negros Oriental. This action comes in response to a graft complaint related to a construction project at Negros Oriental State University (NORSU) in the Bais City campus.

According to Philippines New Agency, the DILG-7 legal officer, and Director Farah Diba Gentuya, who served the suspension order on Friday, the directive was issued following instructions from the Office of the Ombudsman. The complaint that led to the councilor’s suspension was filed by an individual named Michael Daniel. Arbas received the suspension order while confined in a local hospital, and the suspension is effective immediately, without pay.

Bandal noted that the DILG-7 is not familiar with the specific details of the case against Arbas but was simply following the Ombudsman’s instructions. Arbas, in his response, argued that the complaint was unrelated to his duties as a councilor. Instead, it involved a construction project at the NORSU – Bais City campus, with which he was associated.

Additionally, Arbas pointed out that this was the same case previously filed at the Bais City prosecutor’s office, which had already been dismissed. Despite this, the suspension order cited ‘conduct prejudicial to the public interest’ as outlined in the Ombudsman’s ruling, leading to his current suspension from the councilor position.