BACOLOD City – “Saboteurs.” This is how Mayor Evelio “Bing” Leonardia called the people behind a civil complaint filed against him and 16 other local officials over the city government’s P1.7-billion loan from the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP).
The loan – which was approved by the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) in December last year – is intended for the four flagship projects of Leonardia.
These projects include the P350-million development of the Progreso Village Relocation Site, P350-million development of the Bacolod City College, P800-million construction of the Bacolod MassKara Coliseum, and the P200-million road and bridge construction program.
According to Leonardia, filing the complaint was an “act against the people of Bacolod.”
“Kay tungod sang ila pangsabotahe, hinalian indi madayon ang donation kag indi madayon ang project. Sila ang dapat basulon sang pumuloyo kay grasya na ini nga daku nga ginhatag sa aton and yet punggan nila,” said the mayor – who just got back from abroad – yesterday.
Former vice mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson, former councilor Jocelle Batapa-Sigue and businessman Antonio Wong filed the complaint before the Bacolod City Regional Trial Court on Jan. 18.
Batapa-Sigue and Sayson are running for the mayoralty and vice mayoralty posts, respectively, under the local political group Magbinuligay Kita sa Kauswagan led by former mayor and Leonardia’s nemesis Monico Puentevella.
“Ang naga kontra sini (loan), nagakontra sa pumuloyo. This is all about politics,” said Leonardia.
Panay News was still reaching Batapa-Sigue, Sayson and Wong for comment as of press time.
The other respondents listed in the complaint were Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran; councilors Caesar Distrito, Cindy Rojas, Renecito Novero, Em Ang, Elmer Sy, Ana Marie Palermo, Dindo Ramos, Bartolome Orola, Sonya Verdeflor, Lady Gles Gonzales-Pallen, and Ayesha Joy Villaflor; City Council Secretary Vicente Petierre III; City Treasurer Giovanni Balalilhe; City Budget Officer Maria Imelda Williams; and City Accountant Corazon Cardel.
Aside from the city officials, DBP-Negros Occidental Lending Center head Bernardo Catillion Jr. was also listed as respondent.
The civil complaint included a prayer for a temporary restraining order, preliminary injunction, and/or preliminary mandatory injunction, according to Atty. Cesar Beloria Jr., who was speaking in behalf of Sayson, Batapa-Sigue and Wong.
The complainants also sought certiorari, prohibition and annulment of the loan contract between the city government and DBP.
Beloria said no proper public hearing was conducted regarding the loan contract./PN
