IT’S not me.
This was Carcar City Mayor Mario Patricio “Patrick” Barcenas’ reaction to what appears to be a recording of his voice allegedly taken in September 2022, in which the owner of the voice in the recording talks of accepting a bribe.
The more than nine-minute audio recording, posted with a photo of the mayor superimposed with text tagging the voice as belonging to Barcenas, is currently making the rounds on social media.
It was posted on Facebook by an Ely Sasuman.
Text on the post indicates that this is a video recording of a meeting between Mayor Barcenas and members of the City Council in the session hall on Sept. 12, 2022, in which the video has been removed and only the audio retained to keep the one who sent the recording anonymous.
The mayor, however, believes the “Ely Sasuman” account to be a dummy account.
Barcenas said its purpose is to tarnish his reputation and malign his character.
The mayor wants the matter investigated and whoever is behind the post charged to teach that person a lesson.
He pointed out that the allegation against him was with regard to a project implemented during the previous administration.
“Lima pa gani ta ka buwan, unya ingon ana na dayon? Dili ko ingon ana. Sud sa 30 nako ka tuig nga nagserbisyo, wala ko mag-ingon ana,” Barcenas told SunStar Cebu Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2022.
(I’ve been in power for only five months and that’s how I act? I’m not like that. In my 30 years of public service, I have never done something like that.)
Barcenas returned as mayor after winning in last May’s polls.
Barcenas previously served as Carcar mayor from 2001 to 2010, during which time the southern Cebu town became a city. He was vice mayor from 2010 to 2019.
In the post, the person recorded, alleged to be the mayor, is heard talking about the “20 percent SOP (standard operating procedure)” from a P149 million livestock market project implemented during the administration of former mayor Merceditas Apura.
SOP is a euphemism for a bribe.
How much?
The voice in the recording discussed how much he and members of the council would receive from the contractor.
Instead of the “20 percent SOP” or P29.8 million, the contractor had allegedly asked if it could just give 10 percent, or P14.9 million.
“Ok ba mo niana kung mao ang madawat? Ok mo? Kamo na lang magigo kay sa modawat mo o sa dili, ako willing ko modawat kay ako man na nga SOP,” the voice in the recording said.
(Are you okay with that amount? It’s up to you if you accept or not. As for me, I’m willing to receive since it is part of the SOP.)
An ex-officio member of the City Council issued a statement Monday, Dec. 19, on his social media account regarding the “controversial” post that impugns the integrity of members of the local government unit’s executive and legislative departments.
“This is definitely unacceptable because a public office is a public trust and ang pagsalig sa tao man ang nagbutang kanamo sa pwesto (the trust of the people is what put us in our current position),” said Anthony John Apura, Valladolid barangay captain and president of the city’s Association of Barangay Councils.
Apura said if he kept quiet on the issue, it would be tantamount to admitting that he and his allies in the council had accepted the money.
“Ako lang klaruhon nga proud ko mosulti kaninyo wala gyud ko nidawat ana iyang gi-offer sa video. Nisaad ko og supporta sa iyahang administration sa sugod pa lang, pero kahibaw na si Mayor Patrick ug ang mga kapitanes na ni balibad gyud ko sa iyang mga offer, samot na sa kana iyang gi-mention sa video,” he said.
(Let me just make it clear that I am very proud to tell you that I did not accept the offer that is mentioned in the video. At the start of his administration, I promised to support him, but the mayor and the barangay captains know that I have refused his offers, especially the offer that is mentioned in the video.)
Apura is the son of former mayors Nicepuro and Mercy Apura. Barcenas defeated Nicepuro in the May 2022 mayoral elections. (PJB / WITH JKV)