OFFICE staff of Rep. Paz Radaza (Lapu-Lapu City lone district) said cat waste found scattered in their work area on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2019, was placed there intentionally.
This incident was the latest in the feud between Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard Chan and Radaza over office space.
Members of Radaza’s office have been occupying part of the corridor after the congressional office was padlocked on orders of Chan.
The mayor had said Radaza was illegally occupying an office at City Hall, while Radaza had insisted her use of it was covered by a City Council ordinance.
When Radaza’s staff reported for work Tuesday they were surprised to find cat waste under the tables and on the table cover.
They said the act was intentional as some of the cat waste was placed inside a plastic container.
“Klaro kaayong tinuyo. Ambot lang kaha kinsay nagbuhat ani pero klaro na kinsa (It was clear it was intentional. We don’t know who is behind this, but we have an idea),” one of Radaza’s workers said.
Mayor Chan laughed off claims of Radaza’s staff that he was responsible for it. He said he never ordered the cat to pooh under their tables.
“Ang iring di na nato madiktahan ug adto na didto malibang, so wa gyud nay buot ang iring. Ambot ug kinsa nagsugo sa iring nga adto siya dapita didto malibang (You cannot dictate on the cat and I don’t know who ordered the cat to do it in their area),” Chan said.
As to the continued stay of the Radaza staff on the corridor, Chan said new identification cards will be issued to city employees in about two weeks.
Once issued, those without the new ID, including Radaza’s staff, cannot enter City Hall.
He also said Radaza has to remove her belongings from the office or he will have these removed. The Generel Service Office will handle the inventory.
The feud over office space has been running for close to two months now since Chan became the new mayor and ordered Radaza, former mayor and now a House member, to vacate the congressional office.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año had said the Council ordinance that allowed the congressional office was defective and should not be recognized.
It was also a “midnight” ordinance since it was passed 24 days before Radaza’s term as mayor ended, he added.
Radaza said a petition is pending in court and she would prefer to wait for the court’s decision.