Ombudsman Suspends San Pablo City Mayor Gapangada for Six Months

Courtesy: Paul M Veridiano

Vice Mayor Justin Colago officially took the oath of office as acting mayor on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, after the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) served a six-month preventive suspension order against Mayor Arcadio “Najie” Gapangada Jr.

The suspension stems from administrative charges filed by Colago on June 26, 2026, accusing Gapangada of grave abuse of authority, grave misconduct, gross neglect of duty, and oppression.

Allegations of Misused Authority

According to the complaint filed before the Office of the Ombudsman, Mayor Gapangada allegedly stripped permanent, career plantilla officials of their institutional functions to accommodate highly paid job-order employees.

Colago alleged that more than 20 job-order personnel were given monthly salaries ranging from ₱100,000 to ₱110,000 without the required authorization, review, or contracts from the Sangguniang Panlungsod (City Council).

Mayor Denies Charges, Claims Political Vendetta

Mayor Gapangada firmly denied the allegations, maintaining that all hirings followed legitimate human resources selection criteria. He argued that the personnel were compensated transparently according to their professional qualifications.

Gapangada categorized the swift suspension as a politically motivated attack. He claimed it was retaliation for his victory in the previous election, which dismantled a local political dynasty that had controlled San Pablo City for more than three decades.

Power Shift in City Hall

The DILG-Calabarzon team served the suspension order at City Hall on Tuesday morning [mb.com.ph], triggering an immediate reorganization of local leadership:

• Acting Mayor: Justin Colago took his oath before Regional Trial Court Branch 32 Judge Ronaldo Tugonon and immediately ordered department heads to audit and revoke irregular job-order contracts.
• Acting Vice Mayor: First City Councilor Carmela Acebedo was sworn in to fill the vice mayoral seat vacated by Colago.

Ongoing Legal Battle

Mayor Gapangada announced that his legal counsel is filing a Motion for Reconsideration with the Ombudsman alongside a petition for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) from the Court of Appeals, citing a violation of due process.

Gapangada also publicly urged the Ombudsman to investigate a separate anti-graft case he filed against Colago in April 2026, which accuses the vice mayor of maintaining more than 200 "ghost employees" on the city payroll.