Saying it will pave the way for fair investigation into their case, suspended Dagupan City Councilor Red Erfe Mejia welcomed the decision of the Office of the President to suspend him and two other councilors preventively.

Mejia said the suspension can help reveal ongoing issues in the City Council.

"Kami ay natutuwa dahil itong preventive suspension ay magbibigay daan sa imbestigasyon patungkol doon sa kasong isinampa sa amin," he said.

"We will take this as an advantage para malaman ng DILG at Office of the President, maging ‘yung mga kababayan, kung ano ‘yung nangyayari sa Sangguniang Panlungsod," he added.

The councilors have been calling for transparency by requesting documents related to the city's budget and funding processes.

Mejia said as elected officials they have the right to inquire about public funds.

"Nagbibigay [ito] ng daan upang magkaroon ng transparency dito sa gobyerno. ‘Yung ginagawa namin na paghingi ng documents, pagtatanong tungkol sa annual budget… karapatan ng isang legislator para malaman ng taumbayan kung saan ginagastos ‘yung pera," Mejia said.

Dagupan City Mayor Belen Fernandez assured the public that the city’s funds are allocated properly for projects and programs, and hopes for the swift approval of the 2025 annual budget.

"We were expecting the supplemental budget maging mabilis… and then of course annual budget sana maging mabilis," she said.

The suspended councilors are facing charges of oppression, grave misconduct, and abuse of authority.

Atty. Aurora Valle, Dagupan’s Legal Officer, clarified that the preventive suspension is not a punishment but a measure to ensure an impartial investigation.

"The purpose of which is for the respondents not to influence or make causes of threats which may be ammedable for their cause of action," Valle said.

The suspension will last 60 days, during which the councilors are barred from reporting to work.