Garcia files more raps vs PB probe committee

CEBU, Philippines - Dumanjug Mayor Nelson Garcia has pressed more charges against the members of the committee in the Cebu Provincial Board investigating him for alleged abuse of authority.

Garcia filed the complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman against the chairman and the members of the committee on complaints and investigation following its recommendation to have him placed under 60 days preventive suspension.

Named respondents in the complaint were PB Members Arleigh Jay Sitoy as chairman, Grecilda Sanchez as vice chairperson, Raul Alcoseba, Christopher Baricuatro and Miguel Antonio Magpale as members.

Another member of the committee, Board Member Peter John Calderon, was not included in the complaint because he did not sign the recommendation.  Garcia alleged that the respondents have committed “falsification of public documents as a means of giving undue and unwarranted benefits and advantage” to Vice Mayor Efren Guntrano Gica.

On March 13, Garcia also filed criminal and administrative complaints against the members of the PB committee for not acting on his counter-charges against Gica. On March 21, the committee without any meeting, hearing or conference issued an “order” recommending for the suspension of Garcia.

The mayor believes that the recommendation was a “retaliatory” move following his filing of  the complaint. Garcia accused Sitoy of “smuggling” the recommendation into the PB session even if it was not part of the agenda on March 24.

But Sitoy said there was no objection when the order was included as other matters in the agenda. Thus, it was adapted as Resolution No. 600-2014. Paragraph 2 of the resolution states, “the Committee on Complaints and Investigation has conducted a thorough inquiry and examination of te aforementioned case, perusing documents, sending notices and calling upon the parties to shed light on the controversy.”

Garcia alleged the statements from the committee are “monstrous, perverted and fabricated lies” and constitute as plain falsification of public documents by “making untruthful statements in a narration of fact,” penalized under Article 171 of the Revised Penal Code.

Garcia asked how the respondents have the “gall and its temerity” to say that the evidence of guilt is strong when no preliminary conference, no investigation and no hearing has been called and no evidence has been presented at all.

He added that the committee manifested partiality and evident bad faith causing undue injury and prejudice to him. — (FREEMAN)