“WE follow rules.”

That was stressed by outgoing Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia on the creation of the “truth commission” by incoming Mayor Alfredo Benitez which aims at looking into the previous transactions of the present city administration.

As far as he is concerned, Leonardia said that it has been his cardinal rule to obey what is required by the law or by the Commission on Audit (COA) in terms of accountability.

“But of course, if you are a politician it is common sense in politics that things like these can also be interpreted as witch hunting and demolition jobs,” he said.

Leonardia added that they understand (the intention), saying, “we have nothing to hide so let it go where it may go, no problem with that,” he said.

With 171,893 votes, Benitez defeated Leonardia, who only obtained 107,447 votes during the May 9, 2022 national and local elections.

Leonardia has filed an electoral protest believing that there was an irregularity in the elections which merits the declaration of failure of elections.