Charged for nepotism
GAMAY, Northern Samar- The reelectionist mayor of this town was dismissed by the Supreme Court for an offense he committed 10 years ago.
Ordered dismissed from his post is Mayor Timoteo Capoquian, Jr., for nepotism when he appointed his sister, Raquel Capoquian, as member of the board of directors of the Gamay Water District on March 5,2008.
Also appointed to the same position was Clarita Gumba, wife of then vice mayor of the town.
Gumba is the running-mate of Capoquian, who is seeking for another term in this Monday’s elections.
The high Court, on its 20-page decision written by Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin and issued on April 10 of this year, said that Capoquian clearly violated the rule on nepotism when he named his sister to the local water district as a board of director.
The High Court noted that while the incident happened in 2009 and Capoquian was reelected during the 2010 elections which resulted for him to enjoy the principle of condonation under the Aguinaldo doctrine, he should still be punished.
“Despite the principle penalty of dismissal becoming moot, he should nonetheless suffer the accessory penalties of cancellation of eligibility, forfeiture of retirement benefits, perpetual disqualification from holding office, and bar from taking civil service examinations,” the Supreme Court said.
According to the Supreme Court, when Capoquian appointed his sister Raquel to the board of director of the Gamay Water District, he clearly violated the rule on nepotism as the act falls within the prohibited third degree of consanguinity.
Capoquian could not be reached for his reaction on this Supreme Court.
Capoquian is a long time mayor of this 4th class town which has a population of more than 23,000(2016 census) people spread on its 26 villages.
He first served as mayor for nine years starting in 2007.
During the 2016 elections, he ran for vice mayor and won but assumed the post by virtue on the rule of succession when then mayor, Enrique Gomba was dismissed by the Office of the Ombudsman for nepotism.
Vice Mayor Glenn Doxi of the Federal ng Pilipinas, is running against Capoquian for the mayoralty post for Monday’s elections (JOEY A. GABIETA, PETER D. PAREDES)
