CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Mayor Edwin Santiago of this capital city on Friday said that he and the four other officials involved in the complaint filed by former Dolores village chairman Melchor Calauag will answer all allegations as soon as the copy from the Ombudsman is handed to them.
Santiago, in a press conference at the amphitheater of Heroes Hall, said that "we've got wind of the complaint he filed but as of this time, we have not received a copy of the documents. We shall answer all the complainant's allegations point by point since the city government and all its departments, as well as personnel, are very transparent in their transactions, pandemic or no pandemic."
The mayor said the city government is consistent with its governance as evidenced by its Seal of Good Housekeeping and Seal of Good Local Governance from the Department of Interior and Local Government for the years 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.
"Last year, we were again awarded for having zero disallowance under financial administration or financial housekeeping. It simply means we are very transparent and very responsible, and there is a discipline in spending," he said.
"Even if we have received any complaint, we affirm to good governance and sustain good financial administration as this is one of the pillars the DILG and Commission on Audit strictly look into along with peace and order, economy and social services. In fact, those they claim in financial assistance and relief goods are like, for the city government, building a house where you have to keep a tight watch on your budget. While other local government units have stopped extending assistance as they are running out of funds, we in the city government see the assistance of all classes for Fernandinos running until the end of the year. We are in on a long battle with Covid-19 so we have asked all our departments to maximize and prudently use our budgets for the pandemic and other comprehensive programs," Santiago stressed.
"We hope that they would not pre-empt the proper agencies of government. If you have any complaints, we have the right agencies to hear it. In fact, I have personally requested last June 2, 2020, for a special audit so we can, as I have said, maximize the resources of our departments--especially the city health office and social welfare department--which are operating 24/7 in this time of the pandemic. With the audit, we are optimistic the truth will come out and all these fake news which are punishable under the law, will stop," he said, adding the Office of the Mayor was the first to undergo the audit which extended to every barangay to obtain all results required by COA.
The mayor said all the charges will be answered, not by him, but through the proper agency the law mandates.
"Sila po ang sasagot. Hindi ang facebook, hindi ang fake accounts na may maling impormasyon and create confusion. Ang tutuo ang lalabas dahil sa tutuo lang, ni isang matinong tao wala pang nag-complain sa San Fernando, ornidaryo man basta matitino ang kaisipan. Walang complain sa ayuda, walang complain sa anuman. Kung meron man, dapat idaan sa proper venue at hindi iyung kung sini-sino ang pinupuntahan," he said.
"My plea, as before, is let us be one in fighting this pandemic. Let's set aside politics since elections are years away and I am not running anymore. May panahon iyan. Sa ngayon, sama-sama muna upang labanan ang Covid-19," he added.