Dismissals hurting Arroyo bets in poll campaign?Palace exec

VILLASIS, Philippines — Presidential Chief of Staff Michael Defensor appealed to the Ombudsman on Friday to temporarily stop the suspension of local officials, who are facing various charges.

Defensor, who inaugurated the town hall here, said the implementation of suspension orders ahead of the May elections had been used by members of the opposition in criticizing the Arroyo administration.

“We do not intend to preempt the Ombudsman because it’s an independent body, but we hope they will see that we do not need these situations in the middle of an election period,” he said.

He said the suspension or dismissal of local officials had repercussions on the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Read full story in the Philippine Daily Inquirer 

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