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Mindanao Development Authority

Hernel Tocmo

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1716862640725fbaa4338a14936fdb03befe1aea927cd4b7ab8a639c6a94007254137ee7e374a.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Ousted Mindanao Development Authority chairperson Mabel Acosta. File photo"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Ousted Mindanao Development Authority chairperson Mabel Acosta. <em>File photo</em></span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>DAVAO CITY — <span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none">Mabel Acosta, the</span> ousted chairperson of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), reported to work on Monday even after her termination order from Malacañang over &quot;loss of trust and confidence.&quot;</p><p>Acosta joined the weekly flag ceremony at the Pryce Building in Davao City, while the newly appointed MinDA chair Leo Tereso Magno arrived after the ceremony.</p><p>The former chair, who was appointed by then-President Rodrigo Duterte in 2022, has refused to step down as she believes that she did nothing wrong to be terminated.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/11/22/davao-city-councilor-named-as-new-minda-chairperson" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Davao City councilor Mabel Acosta named as new Mindanao Dev&#x27;t Agency chair</a></div><p> She said she was not informed ahead of time that she would be replaced.</p><p>&quot;Honestly, I had the biggest shock of my life. It felt literally like my heart stopped beating for a few moments. May ganoon pala talaga. I have had sleepless nights and an upset stomach due to the overwhelming stress. I cannot bear the embarrassment and humiliation,&quot; Acosta told the media.</p><p>Section 7 of Republic Act 9996, or the Mindanao Development Authority Act of 2010, states that the chairperson shall serve a term of six years from the date of appointment unless removed for cause.</p><p>&quot;I do not have any pending civil, administrative, or criminal case before the proper courts. I am also not convicted of any crime,&quot; she said. </p><p>Acosta also stressed that she has not received a single memo from Malacañang regarding any misconduct. </p><p>Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin in a May 22 letter to Acosta said that &quot;[g]iven the nature of the position of Chairman of the Mindanao Development Authority as primarily confidential and policy determining, the President as the appointing power validly and effectively removed you for cause due to loss of his trust and confidence in you.&quot;.</p><p style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal">MinDA was created to “promote, coordinate and facilitate” participation in the socioeconomic development of Mindanao and has the power to review and recommend inter-regional programs and projects to the National Economic and Development Authority.</p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/2/10/secession-would-actually-hold-mindanao-back-neda-1246" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Secession would actually hold Mindanao back: NEDA official</a></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div><p style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal">Acosta&#x27;s camp has filed a quo warranto petition to question her termination and Magno&#x27;s appointment.</p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div><p style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal">Before her stint at MinDA, Acosta served as a Davao City councilor for 18 years. She was also a broadcast journalist for ABS-CBN Davao and a teacher before becoming a local legislator.</p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div><p style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal">MAGNO </p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div><p style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal">Meanwhile, Magno respects the decision of Acosta to seek legal remedies. </p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div><p style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal">Malacañang has yet to explain why they chose Magno to replace Acosta.</p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div><p style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal">&quot;Mas gusto siguro ng presidente na mas palawakin pa ang pagtulong niya at ang pagbigay ng atensyon sa Mindanao. Minsan sa trabaho ng MinDA ay ang pagbigay ng suhestiyon at pag-gather ng information galing sa iba&#x27;t ibang parte ng Mindanao. Ano pa ang magagandang programa para mas maayos natin ang buong Mindanao,&quot; he said.</p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div><p style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal">(It may be that the president wants to expand the assistance and attention to Mindanao.  Part of MinDA&#x27;s job is to give suggestions and to gather information from across Mindanao. To see that programs will help develop all of Mindanao.)</p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div><p style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal">Magno is also the secretary of the Office of the Presidential Assistant for Eastern Mindanao.</p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div><p style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal">&quot;Hindi pa natatapos ang detalye sa usapin na yan. May opisina pa rin ang presidential assistant for Eastern Mindanao. Ang pagkakaalam ko sa gobyerno, hindi pwedeng isang tao, dalawang posisyon ang hahawakan, violative yata yan ng Civil Service rules. Baka mawala na po yung presidential assistant for Eastern Mindanao but the office is still there,&quot; he said.</p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div><p style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal">(We haven&#x27;t finished the details of our fialogue. The presidential assistant for Eastern Mindanao still has an office. As far as I know, one person cannot have two positions. I might no longer be presidential assistant for Eastern Mindanao, but the office still exists.)</p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div><p style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal">As the power struggle in MinDA enters its second week, Magno was invited by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. to join him in his visit to Brunei, which is a member of the BIMP-Eaga where the MinDA chair is a signing minister of the country. </p><div><br/></div><p>Marcos and his entourage will be in Brunei from May 28 to 29 for a state visit.</p>

<p>The former chair, who was appointed by then-President Rodrigo Duterte in 2022, refused to step down as she believes that she did nothing wrong to be terminated.</p>

The former chair, who was appointed by then-President Rodrigo Duterte in 2022, refused to step down as she believes that she did nothing wrong to be terminated.

Ousted Mindanao Dev't Authority chair defies Palace termination order

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Ousted Mindanao Dev't Authority chair defies Palace termination order

Hernel Tocmo

Published May 28, 2024 10:47 AM PHT

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Updated May 28, 2024 10:53 AM PHT

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Mindanao Development Authority

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