CA absolves suspended Lanao del Norte mayor

THE Court of Appeals (CA) has ruled that Mohammad Exchan Gabriel Limbona is the duly elected municipal mayor of Pantar, Lanao del Norte despite his dismissal from the service stemming from a case filed against him.

In a 36-page decision penned by Associate Justice Amy Lazaro-Javier and concurred in by Associate Justices Celia Librea-Leagogo and Melchor Sadang, the CA’s Ninth Division granted the petition filed by Limbona as it issued “a writ of mandamus directing respondents Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF) Executive Director Atty. Salvador del Castillo, BLGF-X Regional Director Gilbert Gumabay, and all persons, entities, agencies and instrumentalities acting on their behalves to recognize [petitioner Limbona.]”