On calamity aid mess: 100 witnesses to testify for Cebu City officials

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of the Interior and Local Government will resume its investigation tomorrow against the Cebu City officials facing administrative charges over the questionable release of P20,000 calamity assistance to City Hall officials and employees in 2013.

City lawyer Jerone Castillo said the respondent city officials will start presenting their witnesses on Tuesday. Castillo said at least 100 witnesses will be presented. Hearing officer Isidro Barrios III has scheduled a series of hearing starting on November 3 to 5.

Lawyer Reymelio Delute accused Mayor Michael 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.

Delute questioned the release of P20,000 calamity aid to 4,200 city officials and employees in December 2013. Delute said these people were not directly hit by the twin calamities that struck Visayas in the same year.

The calamity aid was released by the city government after a magnitude 7.2 earthquake in October 2013 and super typhoon Yolanda in November of the same year.

Castillo said the witnesses are also beneficiaries of the assistance. According to Castillo, the purpose of having the City Hall employees as witnesses is to verify the receipt of the aid and to justify that they have used the amount after the calamity.

Castillo said these employees will undergo direct examination during the marathon hearing. And if there would be enough time, cross examination would follow, he added.

The witnesses include the secretary of the City Council, a City Hall resident auditor, and a representative of the Department of Budget and Management-7. The other respondents, such as Andales, Dizon, Cabrera, Cabarrubias, Arcilla, Gabuya, Archival, and De los Santos, manifested that they would submit their position papers as evidence and to manifest their stand on the case.

Delute already presented all his evidence and witnesses during the series of hearings conducted last October. At least 17 documentary pieces of evidence were submitted by Delute.

Respondents Rama, Labella, Abella, Wenceslao, Carillo, and Tumulak filed their opposition to the exhibits and evidence submitted by Delute. But the hearing officer admitted all the evidence despite the opposition.  The resumption of the hearing will start at 2 p.m. still at the DILG-7 office in Barangay Lahug.  (FREEMAN)