TUGUEGARAO CITY — The Regional Trial Court Branch 3 in this city has extended its temporary restraining order for 20 days on the distribution of pandemic assistance by the provincial government.
A complainant has said the funds are being indirectly used by officials to gain pro-administration votes in Cagayan.
In extending the TRO granted to lawyer Victorio Casauay, the RTC put credence into its “valid reason,” the complainant said.
Judge Marivic Cacatian-Beltran of the Regional Trial Court-Branch 3 on May 5 extended an earlier TRO for 20 more days while a preliminary injunction is being heard.
Casauay filed the complaint before the local court to stop the distribution of funds under the No Barangay Left Behind (NBLB) and Oplan Tulong sa Barangay Program of the provincial government, as the lawyer said these are allegedly being used for indirect vote-buying.
He had earlier filed an injunction with very urgent ex-parte application for the issuance of a TRO and/or preliminary injunction.
He cited COMELEC Resolution 10747 which prohibits release, disbursement, and expenditures using government funds for and during the campaign period.
Casauay also cited cash advances of P550 million to be used for the said programs, and urged local law enforcers and election officials to arrest and indict government officials violating the resolution.
Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba, however, has denied any wrongdoing by the provincial government, saying the aid releases was declared exempt by the Commission on Elections. Maria Jesusa Esteban