LINGAYEN–The Blue Ribbon committee of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) dismissed on July 14 the administrative complaint filed by a college president against Alaminos Mayor Hernani Braganza in connection with the operation of the Pangasinan State University campus in his city.

Board Member Alfonso Bince Jr., head of the committee, said the decision to dismiss the complaint filed against Braganza by Ruben Morante, president of PASS College located in Alaminos City, is based on the ground that the SP has no jurisdiction over the mayor, Alaminos being a component city of Pangasinan.

Alaminos has been a component city since it gained cityhood in 2001.

At the start of the hearing by the committee, Braganza, through his lawyer, filed a motion to dismiss the case maintaining that the SP has no jurisdiction over an administrative case since Alaminos is component city of Pangasinan.

Braganza’s counsel cited Section 61 (a) of the Local Government Code which provides that “A complaint against any elective official of a province, a highly urbanized city, an independent component city or component city shall be filed before the Office of the President (OP).”

Bince, a lawyer, agreed to this.

He said the SP will pass a resolution within five days formally dismissing the administrative complaint.

Bince said the Blue Ribbon committee also advised Morante to file the complaint before the OP.

In his complaint, Morante claimed that city government funds were used by Braganza to bankroll the PSU Alaminos campus, such as for the construction of the building and facilities, even if the campus has yet to be recognized by the Commission on Higher Education.

The PSU is a government-owned institution which has several campuses around the province.

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