Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. yesterday said Cauayan Vice Mayor Jerry Tabujara should publicly retract derogatory statements he made or his lawyer will file perjury raps against him.

Perjury raps can be filed against Tabujara because he made false statements against me under oath, the governor said

“I have to protect my name because what he said against me were not true,” Marañon added.

Tabujara yesterday told the DAILY STAR he had no comment on the matter.

Francisco Rodriguez, lawyer of Maranon, had earlier asked Tabujara, in a letter, to publicly retract derogatory statements made against his client in connection with the Judge Henry Arles murder case, or legal action will be taken against him.

Rodriguez said that as early as October 5, newspaper publications had quoted his statements in his counter-affidavit filed before the Department of Justice in Manila.

“You had claimed that the filing of the case for murder against you ‘is politically motivated and orchestrated' by Governor Marañon along with some other persons. You also claimed that Governor Marañon had unleashed a mad dog, in the person of Mr. Philip Arles to ‘bark and bite at (you), Mayor Paul Alvarez and Vice Gov. Alvarez',” Rodriguez wrote.

Tabujara, the vice governor and mayor, who have been named among the respondents in the Arles murder, have vehemently denied involvement in the killing of the judge.

Rodriquez said Marañon denies having any participation or involvement in Tabujara's inclusion as a respondent in the Arles murder, and denounces his statements for being outright lies and falsehoods.

He also wrote Tabujara that the malicious, false and baseless statements that he had made under oath have cast aspersion upon the person and reputation of Marañon, who has worked unselfishly to render public service to the people of Negros Occidental and has always done his duty with integrity and competence.*CPG

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