ILOILO City – Three persons caught picking city government-grown sunflowers along the access road of the Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr. Avenue in Mandurriao district have been charged with malicious mischief.
Mayor Jerry Treñas went to the Mandurriao police station with Ninda Atinado, head of the city government’s beautification program, yesterday to register the complaint.
“Our beautification team did their best to plant and grow the sunflowers. They worked hard 24/7, no days off for the first three months. They were commendable unlike these three men who tested my patience,” said Treñas.
The three men were “caught in the act” by the personnel of the beautification team on Saturday. They were RJ Villegas, 28, of Barangay Bolilao, Mandurriao district; Alexis Nejena, 24, also of Barangay Bolilao; and Daniel Soropia, 18, of Barangay Divinagracia, La Paz district.
Treñas said he is serious about disciplining vandals and that the beautification program is important to him. He bought the sunflower seeds using his own money, he said.
“Ginapangabudlayan gid naton agud mapatahum ang aton syudad. Ini mangin halimbawa man sa tanan nga kun mahimu, hindi kita mismo ang mangin upang sa pagpatahum sang aton syudad,” Treñas added.
He previously announced he would be giving monetary reward to whoever could give information leading to the arrest of persons vandalizing ornamental plants at the Iloilo Esplanade and other public spaces here.
Now, he has upped the ante.
Recently hired “green guards” – job hires tasked to guard city government-grown ornamental plants – would be made into regular city hall employees if they catch the vandals themselves, Treñas announced.
“Pangitaan ko paagi nga masulod ko sila sa permanent position. So it is really up to them,” said Treñas.
He then reiterated his public appeal: end vandalism in the city, especially the destruction of ornamental plants that the city government is growing as part of its beautification program.
“I don’t understand why some people can be so cruel, even to harmless plants,” Treñas lamented./PN
