Governor's brother accused of insulting town PIO

CEBU, Philippines - The municipal public information officer of Barili accused their vice mayor of insulting and embarrassing while they were at the town’s police station.

An incident report recorded at the police blotter said Vice Mayor Marlon Garcia, younger brother of Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, “snarled” at public information officer Dodong Leyson, asking why the latter was at the police station acting “as if he is a police officer.”

In an interview, Leyson told The FREEMAN the incident caused him embarrassment as he was insulted in front of the police officers. He explained he was at the police station for a visit and to follow-up some matters.

According to Leyson, he even greeted the vice mayor by saying “good morning vice” but the latter allegedly got mad and snarled at him.

Sought for comment, Garcia denied the accusations, saying it was intended to malign him and ruin his reputation in Barili.

Reports had it that the vice mayor’s supporters have filed cases before the Visayas Ombudsman against Mayor Teresito Mariñas. There are at least seven accusations hurled against the mayor and two of these are nepotism and allegation that the mayor funded his brother’s house worth P2 million.

Leyson said there are rumors that the supporters of Garcia are saying that Mariñas has only six months to manage Barili as he will be ousted from his position soon because of the complaints that would be filed against him.

But Garcia was quick to deny that he was behind the accusations and the plan to file charges against the mayor. He added it was the plan of a concerned citizen who found anomalies in the administration of Mariñas.

For his part, Mariñas said he don’t care about the rumors.

“I believe that whatever rumor is that, it can’t affect me as mayor because it was the people who voted me and in fact, I have over 1,000 votes against my rival. It is a sign that the masses chose me to become their mayor. Rumor is just a rumor,” Mariñas said.

The mayor also expressed confidence that all the cases that would be filed against him will later on be dismissed for lack of merit.

“I’m positively looking forward that the cases filed against me will be dismissed because there are no basis and sufficient evidence to support their claim because I did nothing wrong in manning Barili,” Mariñas said.

He added that as an elected mayor of Barili, he is only doing his job as mayor. (FREEMAN)