Apas barangay captain to sue group for creating separate disaster center

APAS Barangay Captain Ramil Ayuman said he would file charges against those individuals who allegedly created a separate disaster center that is not recognized by the barangay.

Ayuman said a certain Joel Trompeta was appointed as chairman of the Barangay Apas Disaster Center without authority from the barangay council.

“Nag contemplate ang council nga mo-file og case against several individuals diha sa Apas because they’re using the name of the barangay sa ilang disaster center, nga wa gi-acknowledge, wa mo exist sa barangay (The barangay council is contemplating the filing of a case against several individuals in Apas because they’re using the name of the barangay in their disaster center that is not acknowledged by the barangay and does not exist),” he said.

Ayuman obtained a copy of one of the letters sent by Trompeta bearing the letterhead of the Office of the Mayor and the official seal of the city government.

The document that Ayuman showed to the media is an “endorsement letter.” The letter is addressed to Mayor Tomas Osmeña with the subject “Specimen signature of the BDC (Barangay Disaster Center) Apas.”

The letter bears the names of Trompeta as BDC chairman, and Nico Ballesteros, Rebecca Flordeliz, Ignacio Labro, Conchita Lugo, Rene Menchavez, Mike Ocleasa, Rey Suelto, Elizabeth Maña, Leizl Taborada and Romeo Brillantes as members along with their respective signatures.

“What grounds nga nahimo siyang (did he become) chairman (Trompeta), that under the law ang (the) chairman sa (of) disaster office sa (of) barangay, ang (is the) barangay captain and ako paman ang (I am still the) barangay captain diha (here),” he added.

He said that he knew the people mentioned in the “endorsement letter.” He said all of them are supporters of Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK).

He said Trompeta was once his rival in the 2010 barangay election.

Ayuman said the move will create confusion among the residents because they don’t know whom to approach in the barangay when there are disasters and other emergency cases. He said that Trompeta’s group created an office just beside the Apas Elementary School.
Ayuman said he also heard of another group that also created their own disaster center in Barangay San Antonio, Cebu City.

“Mag create gani ug disaster office sa barangay dapat the barangays itself maoy mo recognize, acknowledge for obvious reasons aron way confusion sa mga tao. Maka create man gud ni ug confusion. Game plan gyud ni Tomas (Osmeña) because sa other barangays naa sad tay nadunggan nga naa sad nag create didto,” he said.

He added that this might be a strategy of BO-PK knowing that barangay election is approaching. Ayuman is under Team Rama. When contacted by Cebu Daily News, Trompeta refused to comment on the issue.