The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has directed its Davao regional office to verify the implementation of a 60-day preventive suspension ordered against Panabo City Mayor Jose E. Relampagos by the Office of the President.
The Office of the President issued the suspension order on August 13, 2026, directing Davao del Norte Governor Edwin Jubahib to implement the measure and report compliance. The order stemmed from an administrative case involving a February 2025 incident with local media practitioner Oliver T. Autor.
The DILG central office clarified on September 3 that it was not the implementing authority for the presidential order. Instead, the provincial government was tasked with carrying out the suspension. DILG-Davao subsequently instructed its Davao del Norte provincial office to verify whether the order had been implemented and to ensure that the applicable rules on succession were followed.
The development followed the assumption of Vice Mayor Franklin D. Gentiles as acting mayor on September 18. A city government notice said Gentiles would temporarily perform the mayor’s functions until Relampagos returns. City Councilor Josie Mary “Boss JM” G. Relampagos was meanwhile designated acting vice mayor and presiding officer of the Sangguniang Panlungsod.
The administrative case traces back to a mediation conference in Barangay Upper Licanan on February 24, 2025. Autor alleged that Relampagos assaulted him during the meeting and that members of the mayor’s security team also attacked him as he was leaving. Autor later filed an administrative complaint with the Office of the President on March 20, 2025.
Relampagos denied assaulting Autor and said he was prepared to face any charges filed against him. A barangay official who attended the meeting said he did not personally witness the alleged assault, while the police chief at the time likewise said he could not confirm or deny the incident because he did not personally see what happened.
In its August 13 order, the Office of the President said the evidence against Relampagos was strong enough to warrant preventive suspension after evaluating the submissions of both sides. It also cited concerns that his continued stay in office could potentially influence witnesses or affect the safety and integrity of records and other evidence.
The suspension is a preventive administrative measure and does not by itself constitute a final finding of liability in the underlying case. The presidential order provides for a 60-day suspension, with the governor required to submit a compliance report to the Office of the President.
With the DILG now verifying implementation, attention is shifting to whether the suspension has been properly carried out and whether Panabo’s temporary succession arrangements comply with applicable rules while the administrative proceedings continue.
