Palace gives new reason for Afable’s resignation

Malacañang on Sunday gave another reason why Silvestre Afable Jr. resigned as Cabinet Officer for Regional Development (CORD) for the Cordilleras. Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said Afable resigned because he wanted to concentrate on his job as chief negotiator of the government with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). Ermita said he received Afable’s resignation letter middle of last week. He said reports that Afable resigned to support suspended Baguio City Mayor Braulio Yaranon should not be taken seriously. Afable, however, issued a statement to the media Friday saying he resigned from his post because of “my disagreement with the Office of the President over the suspension of [Yaranon] in the Jadewell case." “I have supported Mayor Yaranon in his crusade against dirty politics and governance, and I shall support him in his quest for justice," Afable said. Ermita reportedly suspended Yaranon for a year for abuse of authority and for grave misconduct after the mayor issued administrative orders that obstructed the operations of Jadewell Pay Parking Corp. Afable’s mother, journalist Cecile Afable, vowed to lead an indignation rally on July 17 when President Arroyo visits Baguio City. Yaranon, a retired regional trial court judge, was elected mayor in 2004 after he promised to stop the Jadewell contract, which he branded as a violation of accepted road rules. His first administrative order in office discouraged motorists from paying street parking fees. He later ordered the police to stop Jadewell employees from collecting fees and from towing vehicles. Yaranon shut down Jadewell’s operations this year based on a decision by a regional trial court that said motorists have the right “to travel and be allowed to park peacefully at the roads, streets and parks of Baguio City." Rogelio Tan, Jadewell president, later won a reprieve from the Supreme Court when it ordered the city government and the pay parking firm to maintain a status quo while it deliberated on the legality of Jadewell’s contract. Yaranon’s suspension was based on the recommendation of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, which heard Jadewell’s complaint for nine months. The DILG submitted its recommendation to Ermita on August 5, 2005. - GMANews.TV