Madridejos mayor, kin charged before Ombuds

CEBU, Philippines – Criminal and administrative complaints were filed against Madridejos Mayor Salvador Dela Fuente and five of his aides, including his brothers before the Office of the Ombudsman Visayas for alleged abuse of authority, grave threats and grave coercion committed against the town’s vice mayor.

Vice Mayor Doroteo Salazar also filed criminal complaints for disobedience of person in authority against the mayor’s aides before the Provincial Prosecutors’ Office.

De la Fuente’s aides who were charged with him before the anti-graft office and separately before the provincial prosecutor’s office are Willy Daruca, Joel Enriquez, Gregorio Sorilo and Ramon and Dodong Dela Fuente. 

Salazar alleged that he and his companion were harassed on four occasions last month by the aides of Dela Fuente. According to Salazar, the municipal council of Madridejos is currently deliberating on the annual budget for the year.

The members of the council required the municipal treasurer to submit documents to show how the budget in the previous year was spent. But the treasurer, upon orders of the mayor, allegedly refused to furnish the council the important records, prompting him to file a case now pending before the Ombudsman that angered the local chief executive.

On March 2, Salazar said that while he was on his way to the session hall for their regular session together with three of his employees from the Salazar Colleges of Science and Institute of Technology, the close aides of the mayor allegedly accosted them.

The vice mayor added that his employees, Alberto Milan, Pedro Maru Jr. and Arnel Gidayawan were bodily searched by Sorilo and Enriquez upon the supervision of Dela Fuente’s brother, Ramon. Salazar said they protested but were threatened by the respondents who were allegedly armed during the incident.

The incidents were allegedly again repeated on March 9, 16 and 23.

Salazar said he tried to call the attention of the suspects and reminded them that what they were doing were against the law but they allegedly ignored him and even positioned themselves to draw their firearms. The four incidents were allegedly recorded in the police blotter. — Fred P. Languido/WAB (THE FREEMAN)