MANDAUE CITY
LABOGON Barangay Captain Renato Suson is crying foul over a 60-day preventive suspension ordered against him by the Mandaue City Council, saying that the suspension was given without recognizing evidence submitted by him in his defense.
In a press conference, Suson claimed that contrary to allegations that he was involved in the “ghost delivery” of construction materials to a recycling facility, the materials were in fact delivered to the barangay’s Material Recovery Facility (MRF) at the back of the Barangay Hall.
Suson pointed out that the MRF was first constructed in 2012 but was rehabilitated in 2015 using 65 bags of cement, 5 cubic feet of sand and gravel and 1,000 pieces of hollow blocks worth P34,000.
“Kana man gud sila kay tagsa ra kaayo moanha sa barangay mao nga wala na sila makabantay sa pag-rehabilitate sa MRF (These officials seldom go to the barangay and that is why they haven’t noticed the rehabilitation of the MRF),” said Suson.
Suson further claimed that original receipts (OR) and delivery receipts (DR) from a legitimate supplier were certified by the former barangay treasurer named Sarah Arrofo.
But Arrofo, Suson said, was terminated by him last year for allegedly conniving with the village council in dismissing three barangay workers – two of whom were relatives of Suson.
“Nagtuo ko nga duna’y sagol politika ang motibo ani kay gusto nilang ilogon ang akong posisyon (I believe there is politics involved here as they want to take over my position),” claimed Suson.
Suson admitted that he had refused to sign the payroll prepared by the barangay council and treasurer for seven months already as he wanted the three dismissed barangay workers reinstated first.
Acting Mandaue City Mayor Carlo Fortuna, earlier called on Suson to recognize the suspension order and vacate his office to give way to first councilor Amado Manatad.
Fortuna warned that if Suson continued to defy the order, he will call on the police for help.
Suson along with Labogon barangay councilors Alfredo Estrada and Benwilson Bodo, Jr. were suspended after the Mandaue City Council laws and governance committee found that there were no receipts from the barangay treasurer acknowledging that materials for the MRF were received.
The store where the materials were reportedly bought was also allegedly non-existent.
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