Bayatan welcomes illegal detention raps

“That is very much welcome.”

This was the reaction of Bacolod City Legal Officer Joselito Bayatan after the two construction material suppliers and contractors in the city are planning to file an illegal detention complaint against him.

Perfecto Seneres and Mark Anthony Diaz, who were arrested and detained two weeks ago, had earlier said their lawyer advised them to file an illegal detention or arbitrary detention case against Bayatan.

Bayatan said Wednesday, September 19, that Seneres and Diaz executed a waiver, so why they will call it now an arbitrary detention.

“That is very much welcome because I am given more elbow room to provide more clarificatory facts. I do not fear anything,” he said.

He added that everything was done in order and everything was legal.

On September 5, Seneres and Diaz were caught in the act of distributing documents containing allegations of misconduct against Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia and his partymates as well as Bayatan, among others, at the Government Center.

Bayatan subsequently filed a libel case against them at the City Prosecutors Office including their three companions Antonio Wong, Edgar Cadagat and Nemesio Demafiles, who appeared as signatories on the libelous documents.

But the City Prosecutors Office dismissed the case against them for lack of evidence.

Last week, the Regional Trial Court ordered the release of Seneres and Diaz following the city prosecutor’s decision.

Meanwhile, on Monday, Bayatan filed a motion for reconsideration before the City Prosecutor’s Office following the dismissal of the libel complaint.

Bayatan said Seneres and his companions had several allegations against him and other city officials which they also include the Office of the Ombudsman.

“The whole context of their documents is libelous,” he said.

He added the group of Seneres, Diaz, Cadagat, Wong, and Demfiles was claimed as the collector of Penjan Builders and Supply.

The Penjan Builders was contracted by the City Government during the administration of former mayor Monico Puentevella for construction materials supply.

On March 23, 2016, Penjan Builders was awarded a contract by Puentevella in the amount of P3.8 million.

“We are willing to pay and we are telling them to go to the Commission on Audit (COA) for a clarification. If COA will say that it’s already clarified and if it is honest to goodness transaction, then we will pay,” Bayatan said.

Trending

No stories found.

Just in

No stories found.

Branded Content

No stories found.
SunStar Publishing Inc.
www.sunstar.com.ph