BACOLOD City – City Legal Officer Joselito Bayatan claimed that former mayor Monico Puentevella is retiring from public service.
Bayatan said this after the Human Resource and Management Office sent a letter to the City Legal Office regarding Puentevella’s application for retirement.
“He is already retiring from public service because he applied for retirement,” Bayatan said in a press conference yesterday.
According to Bayatan, Puetevella, in his Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) application, chose Option 1 – which if approved would entitle him to a lump-sum or old-age (basic monthly) pension.
Bayatan said Puentevella still has pending cases before the Sandiganbayan and the Office of the Ombudsman.
The GSIS has yet to evaluate Puentevella’s application, Bayatan added.
On the other hand, Councilor Claudio Jesus Puentevella, son of the former mayor, belied Bayatan’s claims.
Claudio Jesus said his father only wants to avail himself of the GSIS benefit.
The younger Puentevella even called Bayatan’s statement as an “insult.”
“Kaladlawan nga nag-obra na sia sang pronouncement nga ‘Mayor Monico will be retiring.’ Layo na sa patad, bakod pa na sia (Puentevella) kaayo,” Claudio Jesus added./PN
