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Bacolod City, Philippines Wednesday, May 9, 2012
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Alejandrino’s widow files
raps versus 3 city officials

BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO

The widow of the late Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod Secretary Nilo Alejandrino filed administrative and criminal complaints against three city officials before the Office of the Ombudsman for the Visayas Friday for her husband’s dismissal from service and perpetual disqualification from holding government office for grave misconduct, abuse of authority, conduct unbecoming and unprofessional conduct.

Melba Alejandrino filed criminal complaints against Mayor Evelio Leonardia and Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus for alleged violation of R.A. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and usurpation of authority against Sayson, and violation of Section 3 (a) of R.A. 3019 against Councilor Caesar Distrito.

The administrative charges were filed for alleged oppression, grave abuse of authority, conduct unbecoming of a public official, and violation of R.A. 6713, betrayal of public trust.

In her complaint, Melba Alejandrino claimed that she decided to file the charges against Leonardia, Sayson and Distrito for their alleged collusion, where Leonardia allowed himself to be “persuaded, induced and influenced” to commit violation defined under Section 3 (a) of R.A. 3019 to decide the administrative case against Nilo Alejandrino.

She claimed that the power to decide the administrative case is clearly vested on the local chief executive and that the vice mayor who decided it, has no lawful jurisdiction on it.

She also said she is supporting the case filed against Distrito by Victor Eduardo and Sarah Esguerra on the Granada-Vista Alegre relocation site.

Asked for his comment, Distrito yesterday said he has not yet received a copy of the complaint, except from what the media, who were provided copies, had told them.

Distrito said they will wait for an official copy to be served to them and will answer at the right time and at the right forum. The manner of revealing it to the media first, gives everybody the impression that it was only done as a publicity stunt, he said.

To say that the complainant is joining Eduardo, the perennial filer of cases that have all been dismissed, clearly shows a political propaganda geared towards the 2013 elections, Distrito said.

He added that Melba Alejandrino has no legal personality to file the case against them since she has no personal knowledge about her claims and that of Eduardo.

Sayson said “I reserve my comment until I have read the complaint filed against us.”

Leonardia said he has also not yet received a copy of the complaint which makes it suspicious – how come it has been circulated in the media first? This is very clearly tainted with politics, he said.

Leonardia also said “When Nilo passed away, I expressed my respect for their grief and I thought that what happened justified their behavior because of their grief. But now, this is going too far. I find it ridiculous that a case filed and adjudicated by the Vice Mayor’s Office has already included me.”

He also said he never had any conflict or misunderstanding with Alejandrino, and that, even at the height of the controversy with Distrito, he never mentioned it to him.

With the involvement of those people (referring to Eduardo and Esguerra) who notoriously filed cases against them involving the government center, it is now obvious that some people have worked at poisoning the minds of his family, and this is very regrettable, because these people are trying to use his death as their political tool.

“So I understand now why some people invent fairy tales,” he said about Distrito’s reaction that this is a good script for nomination to the Famas Awards.

On the other hand, Leonardia also said, he was aware of the case of the SP Secretary, but it was not within the scope of his functions, but that of the Vice Mayor’s Office and the SP. He also noted he was even the one who had signed the appointment of Nilo Alejandrino when he was still the vice mayor.*CGS

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