By MAE SINGUAY
BACOLOD City — City Legal Office (CLO) lawyer Cesar Beloria was made to explain why he furnished other city offices of his recommendation on the business permit application of AVM Bernardo Engineering.
CLO chief Sarah Villamor last week issued Beloria a Notice to Explain, enjoining him to state why no disciplinary action should be taken against him.
AVM Bernardo Engineering operates the slaughterhouse in Barangay Handumanan. It had been at odds with the city government for its alleged violation of its contract with the latter.
Beloria, tasked to study AVM’s case, had recommended the issuance of a business permit to AVM.
He had said there was “no cogent and lawful ground to hold or restrain” the permit.
Beloria furnished copies of his recommendation — originally addressed to Villamor — to the City Council, City Treasure’s Office, and Permits and Licensing Division, among others.
Villamor said Beloria’s report was supposedly an interoffice communication, and copies of it were given out without the “knowledge, authority, and clearance” of her and Mayor Monico Puentevella.
Villamor also asked Beloria to explain why he submitted the report two months after the case was referred to him and after Puentevella announced that he will not let AVM get a business permit.
“What I did was all in good faith and belief and in accord to the rules and procedures consistently observed in the office,” Beloria said.
He said only intended to “perform my duty to the best of my ability, without mental reservation or purpose of evasion.”
Beloria received the Notice, dated July 9, 2014, on July 10. He was given 48 hours from the time he received the Notice to explain./PN
