Garcia raps 6 PB members

CEBU, Philippines - Dumanjug Mayor Nelson Garcia has filed criminal and administrative complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas against members of a Cebu Provincial Board committee investigating him because of the complaint filed by his vice mayor.

Garcia accused Board Members Arleigh Jay Sitoy, chairman of the committee on complaints and investigation, and members Grecilda Sanchez, Raul Alcoseba, Peter John Calderon, Christopher Baricuatro, and Miguel Antonio Magpale of grave abuse of authority and serious misconduct.

The town mayor said the members of the committee violated the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act when they allegedly acted unfairly in his case.

Garcia is under investigation by the Provincial Board because of the administrative complaint filed by Vice Mayor Efren Guntrano Gica over the appointment of the Municipal Council secretary.

Garcia asked the committee headed by Sitoy to dismiss the complaint. But, instead of acting on his motion to dismiss, the committee considered it as the mayor’s answer to the complaint.

“This is strange and most unfair! Why should respondents, as Chairman and Members of the Committee decide for Mayor Garcia as to how to proceed in the defense of his case?” read Garcia’s complaint.  

Last January 15, Garcia also filed an administrative complaint against Gica for grave abuse of authority and serious misconduct in office over the same issue. Garcia said that almost two months already, the committee has not required Gica to file his answer which is in violation of the Local Government Code.

Section 62(a) of the Code provides that within seven days after the administrative complaint is filed, the Sanggunian concerned shall require the respondent to submit his verified answer within 15 days from receipt thereof.

Garcia said that after filing his motion to dismiss, he met with his “boyhood friend and former classmate,” respondent Sitoy and talked about the case with only the two of them.

Garcia said that Sitoy was “very apologetic and very sorry” for the case filed by Gica knowing that the motion to dismiss was “very correct.”

Sitoy and other respondents are all allies of Gica in the Liberal Party while Garcia belongs to the opposition, One Cebu Party.

Garcia quoted Sitoy as saying, “So, very sorry Borgs. You know, as they say, ‘in politics-weather-weather lang!”

Garcia said that after Gica filed the case before the PB, the latter allegedly started bragging and spreading talks in the municipality that he will be suspended and will be dismissed later because of the assurance of  LP allies in the Capitol.  (FREEMAN)