LEGAZPI CITY — Today's pain, tomorrow's strength. This was the message of Legazpi City Mayor Geraldine Barrameda Rosal after she stepped down from her post following the writ of execution order by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) provincial office on Thursday. Rosal relinquished her post to Vice Mayor Bobby Cristobal after the Office of the Ombudsman ordered a one-year suspension on the mayor, which the DILG enforced. Rosal, who was found guilty of conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service by the Ombudsman, has asked the Supreme Court to issue an injunction order, but the high tribunal has yet to decide on her case. The Ombudsman also ordered the dismissal from service of erstwhile governor Noel Rosal, the mayor's husband, and permanently barred him from holding any public office due to grave misconduct and oppression over his decision to reassign without justification three department heads to lower-ranked positions in different offices. The supporters of the Rosals expressed sadness on social media, saying the people of Legazpi and the Albayanos are deprived of honest and sincere leaders with unquestionable integrity. "Fight, Mayor, we're fighting for you and Governor Noel Rosal. We are not losing hope. The sun will rise again, and we are always waiting to shine," said Johanna Valladolid, a councilor of Barangay Banquerohan in Legazpi City. After assuming the post of acting mayor, Cristobal said that the delivery of basic services to the people of Legazpi City would continue. "The delivery of basic services continues and is always unhampered," said Cristobal, an ally of the Rosals. "We appeal for sobriety, cooperation and a sense of healing to move forward. Public transactions at the Legazpi City Hall are business as usual." On September 4, Lawyer Francis Bernard Palacio, graft investigation and prosecution officer of the Office of the Ombudsman, handed over an envelope containing the Ombudsman's decision to the residence of the Rosals. The former governor said the Ombudsman's decision was personally brought to their home when work suspension was declared in Manila due to flooding brought by Typhoon Enteng instead of sending it through courier. Board member Vince Baltasar, a political ally of the Rosals, also expressed sadness on the turn of political events in the city. "Sad episode in Legazpi City. The once peaceful and progressive city is now being attacked by several ambitious and greedy politicians and several individuals who aim to put down the administration we built together with our grandparents, parents, brothers and sisters, and the whole community who fought hard and voted for positive change and good governance through electing Gov. Noel Ebriega Rosal and Mayor Gie Rosal to public office," Baltasar said. "Every three years, we have a democratic election, an exercise of our right to suffrage or right to vote. But as time goes by, this administration has established progress, stability and consistency to make Legazpi a well-known destination in southern Luzon because of its efficiency and effective programs, projects and good governance. Legazpeños always chooses who to lead our beloved city, and we were never wrong to choose who we wanted to lead us," Baltasar added.
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