RODRIGUEZ, Rizal – The local police continue to provide security to the Municipal Hall here to maintain peace and order following the suspension order against Mayor Pedro Cuerpo amidst threats from his supporters that they would not let the mayor be removed from office.

As this developed, Rodriguez Vice Mayor Jonas Cruz has been sworn into office as acting mayor and called on "all parties concerned to respect the suspension ordered by the Sandiganbayan to enable the municipal government to resume its normal functions and serve the needs of the public.”

DILG Provincial Director Allan Benitez swore Jonas into office after the new 60-day suspension order was handed down by the Sandiganbayan and its implementation was directed by the Department of Interior and Local Government against Cuerpo, Municipal Engineer Fernando Rono, and Barangay Captain Salvador Simbulan of Barangay Burgos.

In a five page resolution, Associate Justice Teresita Diaz-Baldoz of the Sandiganbayan second division junked the second motion for reconsideration filed by Cuerpo, calling it "merely a reiteration of previous arguments already laid to rest."

The anti-graft court warned that Cuerpo’s move "only signifies an obvious desire to delay the implementation of the suspension order."

The suspension of Cuerpo and the two other officials stemmed from the complaints lodged by some residents of Barangay Burgos whose houses were ordered demolished by the mayor without court order in 2002.

Cuerpo insisted that he merely exercised police power when he issued the order, saying the complainants built their houses beside a creek which is dangerous, adding that the owners did not have building permits.

Cuerpo insisted that the suspension order is politically motivated but did not elaborate.

The Court issued the first suspension order against Cuerpo on October 3 last year “to prevent the accused (Cuerpo) from using his office to intimidate witnesses or frustrate his prosecution or continue committing malfeasance in office.”