SANTA ROSA, Nueva Ecija — Vice Gov. Gil Raymond Umali who is serving as acting Governor of Nueva Ecija led the oath of office of the provincial chapter officers of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) at the residence in Barangay Soledad, Santa Rosa, Nueva Ecija on Tuesday.

Raymond is the elder brother of Gov. Aurelio Umali who was recently suspended by the office of the Ombudsman for the issuance of 205 quarry permits without the required Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC).

The governor who is appealing the case, was also present during the oath-taking ceremony, he has following the graft court’s order suspending him from service without pay for one year.

Mayor Lovella Belmonte-Espiritu of Zaragoza town was sworn in as chapter president of the LMP.

Also inducted into office were Ricardo Padilla of Bongabon as vice president, Hanna Katrina Andres of Rizal as secretary, Cesario Lopez of San Isidro as treasurer, Sylvester Austria of Jaen as auditor, Jobby Emata of Gabaldon as PRO and Rogelio Abad of Carrangalan as business manager.

The board of directors are Wilfredo Domingo and Mariano Noriel Dean Joson for District 1, Mona Agdipa and Glenda Romano for District 2, Christopher Aguilar and Larry Ponce for District 3, and Niña Nagaño-Joson and Angelita Esquivel for District 4.

“Stressing the importance of reinforcing connections of working together,” said Belmonte-Espiritu, who appointed the rest of the mayors to the different special committees in the league.

Jesulito Galapon and Marilou Pascual were assigned to the committee on health and social services, Sherry Ann Bolisay and Gilbert Moreno to development and special projects, Pacifico Monta and Benjamin Padilla to external affairs, Mario Lacurom and Jose Hidalgo Jr. to protocol and peace and order, and Aries Gaboy Lim and Rav Kevin Rivera to digital innovation.