San Juan Mayor Guia Gomez denies absenteeism claim

MANILA, Philippines — San Juan Mayor Guia Gomez yesterday denied allegations she did not report for work last Monday to avoid being served a resolution by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) granting a recall election.

“Who is evading? I am not,” said Gomez, when asked about the allegation hurled by former vice mayor Francis Zamora, whom she defeated in the last mayoral race, that she was hiding from Comelec officers.

The recall election process cannot start unless Gomez receives the resolution.

Gomez had just left the city hall minutes before Comelec officers arrived, witnesses said.

The mayor admitted that while she did not attend the weekly flag-raising ceremony last Monday, wherein she was supposed to receive P2.4 million for winning the Seal of Good Governance from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), she reported for work in the afternoon.

“They know where to find me. I am just here performing my duty,” she said.

Zamora said Gomez closeted herself in her office to hide from Comelec officers.

“To get inside her office, you have to go to the fourth floor either by stairs or (the) elevator and pass through a tightly guarded reception area just to see her,” he said.

“She can easily hide or her staff can always say that she went home already. You cannot forcibly enter her office,” Zamora added.

He said there is a private elevator in the mayor’s office that leads to the parking area.

Zamora challenged Gomez to receive the Comelec notice, otherwise “she is just proving to everyone that she is scared to face the judgment of the people.”