Scribe testifies against Rama on use of calamity assistance

CEBU, Philippines - A member of the media was called yesterday to the witness stand to prove the bad faith of Cebu City officials in granting P20,000 calamity assistance to City Hall officials and employees in 2013.

Reporter Doris Bongcac was presented by lawyer Reymelio Delute to testify on Mayor Michael Rama’s alleged admission that he used the calamity assistance to pay his electric and water bills.

Delute sued Rama, Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella and City Councilors Nestor Archival Sr., Mary Ann de los Santos, David Tumulak, Nendell Hanz Abella, Sisinio Andales, Alvin Arcilla, Roberto Cabarrubias, Ma. Nida Cabrera, Gerardo Carillo, Alvin Dizon, Eugenio Gabuya Jr., and Noel Wenceslao for grave misconduct and abuse of authority for granting the calamity assistance to 4,200 City Hall officials and employees despite their not being victims of calamity.

In December 2013, the City Council approved City Ordinance 2379 granting P20,000 calamity assistance following the magnitude 7.2 earthquake and super typhoon Yolanda.

Delute said the release was questionable because the recipients were not directly hit by the calamities.

In yesterday’s resumption of the hearing at the Department of Interior and Local Government, Bongcac was subjected to direct and cross examination.

Lawyer Benjamin Militar, legal counsel of Delute, said the purpose of having Bongcac as a witness is to establish the veracity of her report that Rama used his calamity aid to pay his bills.

Bongcac said she is in the media industry since October 2001 and has covered all the beat assignments in the province and the city. She certified yesterday that what she wrote was correct and true.

City lawyer Jerone Castillo asked Bongcac if her reports were based on facts and whether she bothered to ask Rama for the copy of the receipts of the water and electric bills to verify his claim.

Bongcac said she believed that responsible officials would not jeopardize themselves by giving false statements, especially during press conference.

Lawyer Rey Gealon, one of the legal counsels of the city officials, asked Bongcac if there were times in the press conference that the mayor answers questions in jest. Bongcac admitted there were really times that the mayor would crack jokes but she does not think that the mayor was kidding in answering questions involving people’s money.

Delute will be presenting the city treasurer and city administrator as witnesses during the resumption of the hearing today.— (FREEMAN)