SAWANG Calero, Cebu City Barangay Captain Sergio Ocaña has said that they will have to find someone to fill in one of their vacant seats after one of their councilors was arrested for raping his live-in partner’s sister last year.
“Sa among councilor, tungod kay di man siya katambong sa mga session kay non-bailable man ang kaso, mapulihan jud,” Ocaña told SunStar Cebu on Wednesday, March 1, 2023.
(Since he can’t attend our sessions as his case is non-bailable, he could be replaced)
One of the barangay’s councilors was arrested on Monday, Feb. 27, by personnel of the Sawang Calero Police Station through an arrest warrant issued against him by Regional Trial Court Branch 20 Judge Leah Iligan Geraldez.
The arrest warrant against the councilor stemmed from a complaint lodged by his live-in partner’s sister who claimed that he raped her five times when she was 15 years old in 2020.
Ocaña said he will be referring the matter to the Department of the Interior and Local Government for the proper and legal steps, but he said that it will be the responsibility of the council to endorse the possible replacement.
He added that they will have to make sure that the person who will be performing the duties should be someone who had served the barangay and has the heart and willingness to serve.
Ocaña also appealed to his constituents to reserve their judgment and comments as the councilor is also entitled to due process.