Radio blocktimer Jun Capulot and former councilor Plaridel Nava filed on Friday, March 25, a complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas against Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas for grave abuse of authority, grave misconduct, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of public service.
The complaint stemmed from the alleged “scandalous and improper” acts of Treñas at the height of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Nava, who is running for councilor, questioned the mayor’s move to enter into a P1.750 billion loan agreement with state-owned Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP).
He also found questionable the city government’s procurement of motor vehicles for members of the City Council; purchase of excessive quantity of COVID-19 vaccines; and the passage of Supplemental Budget No. 1 amounting to P438 million for non COVID-related response.
In a statement, Treñas refuted Nava’s claims, saying that “the supplemental budget was approved by the City Council after it was prepared by the City Budget Office and reviewed by the different departments of the city government.”
Furthermore, he explained that “the said supplemental budget will only become effective only upon review by the DBM.”
“As mayor of the city, I am ready to answer any administrative complaint regarding the budget or any COVID response of the city,” Treñas said.
According to the mayor, the city’s “COVID responses have been the reasons for everyone calling Iloilo City the ‘Wakanda of the Philippines’ and awards one after the other have been received by Iloilo City up to now.”
“I am very proud to be Mayor of the city during these times,” he stressed.
In a separate statement, Treñas took a swipe at Capulot, his opponent in the mayoral race.
“While I, together with the men and women, were doing everything risking our lives to be of service to to the Ilonggos thinking of how we can better serve them, I did not hear or see my opponent lifting a finger to make the lives of our fellow Ilonggos a little better,” he said.
“Sa diin ka iya sang pandemic man? Wala ko ya na bati an nga bulig Ikaw sa mga Ilonggo!!!!” he added.IMT
