Apas told: Return ‘illegal’ donation
Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña has ordered Barangay Apas to return the money it solicited “illegally” through its Barangay Mayor’s Office (BMO) for the barangay’s contingent in the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Barangay.
“I am suggesting that they have to refund all the donors… I think they should, especially they used my name and then they used the letter and the name of the City of Cebu,” Osmeña said yesterday, just a day after Apas’ contingent won in the contest last Sunday.
Last week, no less than Apas barangay captain Ramil Ayuman said he was alarmed by complaints the Apas-BMO asked for P100,000 and even up to P1 million from business establishments in the barangay.
Osmeña, in fact, has already fired a staff member of the ApasBMO, Renato Jardaleza, over the allegations. The mayor said Apas’ win last Sunday will not affect his decision.
“The point that I don’t like is the part where I heard that they are threatening that it affects your business permit. That’s what I really don’t like. It makes my blood boil. I don’t care if they win the Nobel peace prize. That’s not an excuse,” he said.
Section 7 (d) of Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards of Public Officials and Employees provides “Public officials and employees shall not solicit or accept, directly or indirectly, any gift, gratuity, favor, entertainment, loan or anything of monetary value from any person in the course of their official duties or in connection with any operation being regulated by, or any transaction which may be affected by the functions of their office”
“The only thing that I can assure to the people, walay pilipili. Everybody is the same. And if you are BOPK, its worse, you are automatically fired, if there is enough suspicion. I am not playing a popularity game here,” Osmeña said.
If there are other BMOs involved in the irregular solicitation, he will fire them immediately, he said.
The mayor said he will appoint Virgil Cabigon, first barangay councilman of Apas to lead the BMO in the barangay. He said he leave it up to Cabigon to decide on the fate of BMO chairman Joel Trompeta.
“I don’t care. He is not in charge anymore. It’s up to Cabigon to decide on that matter,” Osmeña said.
Rey Suelto, head of Apas’ Sinulog contingent, said they will follow the mayor’s order. He said that of the P8,000 raised through solicitation, only P500 reportedly came from a business establishment.
He said they borrowed P500,000 to fund their presentation. Ayuman said his lawyers are studying the legal options to take.
“Our lawyers are preparing the case against those involved. Siguro after Sinulog, basin ma-distract ang BMO sa Grand Parade. Hope the BMO will abide by the recommendation to refund what they’ve solicited but it doesn’t mean nga gipasaylo na sila,”Ayuman said.
In a previous interview, Jardaleza said he would accept Osmeña’s decision to terminate him from the BMO.
"Yes, wala man koy problema ana kay mao man ang balaod... ipadaan lang pud sa investigation," he said.
Jardaleza said he was not the one who drafted the solicitation letter and denied threatening a business owner.
“Wala man mi na-generate nga money sa solicitation… wala koy nakuha nga money kay igo rako mo-distribute sa letter ang mo-follow up kay si Teresa ang mag-control sa budget for our Sinulog contingent,” he said.