LAPU-LAPU City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan said the 28 village chiefs who sued him for the alleged illegal eviction of Rep. Paz Radaza from her office in the City Hall were just forced to do it.
He said some barangay captains went to his office on Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2019, telling him that they were coerced to sign the complaints against him.
The filing of the complaints was done to check the loyalty of Radaza’s allies, said Chan.
Association of Barangay Councils president Eduardo Cuizon, who led the complainants, belittled Chan’s allegations, saying they have the right to complain.
Chan admitted he felt dismayed by the barangay captains’ legal action against him, but he respected them.
Radaza, the city’s lone congresswoman, reportedly has 28 allied barangay captains. Chan has two village chiefs on his side.
The mayor told the reporters that three Radaza-allied barangay captains did not sign the complaint-affidavits.
The district office on the second floor was formerly occupied by Radaza’s daughter, Aileen. Last June 6, or 24 days before Radaza’s term as mayor expired on June 30, the City Council passed Ordinance 14-200-2019 which provides a district office for the city’s representative in the House at the City Hall.
However, Chan did not recognize the ordinance. The Department of the Interior and Local Government said that the ordinance could not be considered effective since it was not published in accordance with the Local Government Code.
Chan sent a notice to Radaza’s staff last July to vacate the district office, which he wanted to convert as his office. His order was disobeyed. Chan was able to occupy Radaza’s office last Aug. 27.
Despite the barangay captains’ move against him, Chan promised that his service to their villages would not be affected. The City Legal Office will prepare Chan’s counter-affidavit if the latter receives a subpoena from the Office of the Ombudsman Visayas.
Cuizon and his fellow village chiefs have charged Chan for grave coercion, grave misconduct, conduct unbecoming of a public officer, grave abuse of authority, oppression and violation of Section 3 (e ) of Republic Act (RA) 3019 or the Anti-Graft And Corrupt Practices Act. (From GCM of SuperBalita Cebu, KAL)