CEBU, Philippines – Cebu third district Rep. Pablo John Garcia challenged self-styled whistleblower Crisologo Saavedra to put his accusations against him and the latter's call for a lifestyle check on him under oath.
This after Saavedra went to the Office of the Ombudsman Visayas on Thursday and urged it to conduct a lifestyle check on Garcia, younger brother of Governor Gwendolyn Garcia.
He asked the anti-graft office to investigate and verify the alleged assets of Garcia, which include the mansion built beside Guadalupe Heights Subdivision in Cebu City and paid P7 million to homeowners association.
The legislator also allegedly owns a fishpond property between Toledo City and Pinamungahan, the Blue Ocean Restaurant and Bar in Lahug, Cebu City and ownership of more or less five high-end expensive cars, one of them a black Hummer.
However, Garcia said Saavedra's listed assets, which allegedly belong to him, are not true.
"It is easy to make an accusation, but whether we can swear an oath, and risk the penalty of perjury, to show that we stand by our accusation, is another matter. If we can't then we might as well shut up. If we can't shut up, then we shouldn't expect reasonable and decent people to listen," Garcia said.
Garcia also said he would voluntarily go to the Office of the Ombudsman to look for Assistant Ombudsman for the Visayas Virginia Palanca-Santiago to present the documents that shows each and every one of Saavedra's allegations are false.
"Not just one or some," Garcia emphasized. "Each and every one of them is absolutely false, fabricated and utterly useless."
On the other hand, Garcia said every public official and employee, including officials and employees of the Office of the Ombudsman was under constant and continuing lifestyle check.
He said he doesn't need a person like Saavedra to petition for a lifestyle check, just to have something sensational to say to the media.
Garcia added putting Saavedra's petition under oath would also raise the level of journalism in Cebu.
"It would teach journalists and editors to separate the chaff from grain. To distinguish between a damaging accusation and insinuation this is lightly made, and one for which the accuser is willing to stand by, under pain of penalty for perjury," Garcia said. (FREEMAN)