ROXAS City – The Sangguniang Bayan (SB) of President Roxas, Capiz is planning to declare the town’s former vice mayor a persona non grata.
The SB considered taking the measure after ex-vice mayor and now Barangay Cabug-cabug village chief Alfonso Golero filed a case against Mayor Receliste Escolin at the Office of the Ombudsman.
Escolin on Friday said he and the SB members have already talked about the proposed move.
“Halos tanan nga kaayuhan sang mga pumoloyo kag sang banwa ginabalabagan niya bangod sa iya baluktot nga paminsaron,” Escolin told Panay News. “Nakaistorya na kami sang majority members sang konseho kag amo ina ang ila ginaplano nga ideklara nga persona non grata si Golero.”
Golero accused Escolin of abuse of authority, grave misconduct and violation of Republic Act 917, or the Philippine Highway Act of 1953.
It is the seventh case that Golero filed against Escolin in the past months.
Golero’s latest complaint is about the P3-million streetlight project under Escolin’s administration.
The project involves the installment of 30 lampposts on a center island on the national highway in Barangay Poblacion, President Roxas.
The project’s fund was sourced from the town’s development fund.
“Local funds, such as the 20-percent Development Fund should be used only for priority local development projects and there is no provision in the Local Government Code that such funds will be used other than it is prescribed,” part of Golero’s complaint stated.
It added, “As emphasized under Republic Act 917 or Philippine National Highway Act of 1953, it is unlawful for any person to usurp the right of way and convert any portion of the public highway into other uses…Mayor Receliste Escolin deliberately converted the middle portion of the national road highway into a center island and erected a streetlight in it.”
Escolin said prior to the project’s implementation, the municipal government secured clearance from the Department of Public Works and Highways 1st Engineering District.
When asked about the mulled declaration against him, Golero told Panay News: “Wala ako nagagamo para ideklara ako nga persona non-grata.”
He added, “Wala man ako naga-oppose sa streetlight project. Ang akon ginhimo nga pagreklamo sa Ombudsman agod mahibaluan lang kon santo sa Philippine Highway Act of 1993 ang ginhimo ni Escolin…Ang streetlight pwede man mabutang sang kilid sang highway. Ngaa ibutang gid sa tunga kag butangan center island nga nagapakitid sang national road. Ano pulos sang road widening?”/PN
