Mayor hits back vs MoNoPal team

BACOLOD City Mayor Evelio Leonardia scored Monday the MoNoPal team led by mayoralty candidate Representative Monico Puentevella on its claim that his supporter manhandled a disabled person in Barangay 41.

Leonardia said the incident was not proven yet and that these are all allegations, pure and simple black propaganda against his party.

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The mayor's statement came after MoNoPal claimed that a Grupo Progreso supporter identified by police as Abraham Federes, whose brother works at the New Government Center, manhandled a 50-year-old person with disability last April 15, 2010, in Barangay 41.

MoNoPal said Federes’ inhuman actions were complained by Sally Pinuelo, sister of the victim Rogelio Requiron, before Bac-Up Precinct 4 in Barangay Villamonte.

Pinuelo reportedly told Bac-Up investigators that her brother is mentally-ill, but was allegedly beaten hard by Federes after the former removed Leonardia’s posters outside his house.

But Leonardia countered that this was not proven yet, and instead he charged that it was their political rally that was sabotaged by their political opponents.

He added that even their posters, tarpaulins and streamers were also removed in several areas in the City of Bacolod.

Leonardia believes that his political opponents have an operation removing all of their political materials. “They are the ones who harass us and not the other way around.”

The mayor also cited that this political scenario has not happened before in the city.

Meanwhile, Leonardia got the support of independent candidate for councilor Philip Montelibano.

Montelibano, together with his mother Jhay Montelibano, expressed their support Monday for the candidacy of Leonardia in the coming elections.

The son and widow of former mayor of Bacolod and governor of Negros Occidental, the late Alfredo Montelibano Jr., and founder of Partido Paglaum sang Banwa said they believe in the programs and projects implemented by the Leonardia administration.

Philip and Jhay also clarified that supporting Leonardia in the May elections is their personal choice and not of the whole Partido Paglaum sang Banwa.

Jhay said she always supports the decision of his son. “Leonardia is the godson of the elder Montelibano and was originally a member of Partido Paglaum sang Banwa when he started his political career but their relationship turned sour after the latter left the party.”

The widow of the former mayor, meanwhile, explained that Leonardia and his wife Elsa had always been so good to their family and they do not have any ill feelings towards the latter because of indifference in politics.

Philip, for his part, said Leonardia had always offered a “friendly hand” towards him and his family and regularly communicated with them, especially during the times when his father was already in his sickbed and until he succumbed to a lingering illness.

Montelibano explained that the New Government Center project, although full of controversy, clearly became a landmark for the city of which all Bacoleños are very much proud of.

He said he considers the NGC project of Leonardia as a very good project and challenges those attacking the city’s new land mark to prove their allegations in the proper venue and not in the bar of public opinion.

Montelibano insisted that if given a chance to bag a seat in the City Council after the May 10 elections, he would rather see Leonardia also retaining his mayoralty post because he considers the latter as better and more comfortable to work with.

He scored Bacolod Representative Monico Puentevella for his continued dodging on the issue that he deposited the funds from the national coffers to his personal bank account with his family as signatories.

“I could not imagine my father depositing government money to his own personal bank account,” Montelibano said.

Puentevella, meanwhile, said he welcomed Philip's endorsement of Leonardia.

“This is a democracy. As much as I want Philip to cast his lot with me, I will respect his decision. I wish him good luck,” Puentevella, mayoralty bet of the MoNoPal Grupo Serbisyo, said. (MAP)