Day-as officials withdraw complaint vs. SK head

While a city council panel yesterday tackled a recommendation to sanction the Day-as Sangguniang Kabataan chairwoman for unauthorized absences from the barangay council sessions, the barangay officials have decided to withdraw their complaint against her instead.

"Among nahukman nga pasayloon na lang siya dungan sa iyang pagsaad nga mag-usab na ug moserbisyo na g''yod sa among barangay," said Day-as barangay captain Michael Ocleasa during the hearing of the case at the City Council.

Ocleasa and councilmen Ben Caniga, Julio Lada, Antonio Cabrillas, Freddie Esmas and Anthony Daanton, have complained against SK head Rafonzel Quijano for her failure to attend the barangay sessions-nine times last year and eight times from January to yesterday.

Ocleasa said Quijano has failed to report to their sessions because she has always been preoccupied with her singing career in Manila.

The barangay officials'' earlier recommendation was to have her sanctioned, and Ocleasa said that among the penalties would be to compel Quijano to refund to the barangay the honoraria she received despite her absences.

After receiving the complaint from the barangay officials, the City Council''s committee of three -headed by councilor Jocelyn Pesquera-started to conduct an investigation.

Before the committee could come up with its decision, however, the barangay officials told the city councilors they were withdrawing their complaint "to buy peace and for the spirit of goodwill."

But even with the withdrawal of the complaint, a source from the Department of the Interior and Local Government said Quijano is not off the hook just yet.

"Ang hukom sa investigating committee sa Cebu City council maoy final nga mohukom kon mapasaylo ba si Quijano, dili ang mga opisyal sa Day-as," said the DILG staff.

Quijano''s mother Suzette, a councilwoman of the same barangay, has been facing also a similar complaint from the barangay officials and this has been also being undertaken by the panel of Pesquera.

The barangay council had also recommended for the ouster of Suzette allegedly due to her failure to attend their sessions despite her being in the barangay. Suzette is expected to present and defend her side on the issue. -Rene U. Borromeo/RAE