POLITICS was the motive behind the administrative and criminal charges filed against him by 10 barangay officials and several residents of Daanbantayan, Mayor Augustus Corro said yesterday.
Corro said the barangay chairpersons who filed the complaint against him were allies of former Daanbantayan mayor Ma. Luisa Loot, whom he defeated in last year’s elections.
“This is very plain and simple. I think they are very much threatened with the way I handled the response and recovery work after Yolanda,” he told Cebu Daily News in a phone interview yesterday.
“But for once, can they give the people a break from politics? The ones who are the true victims of this are the people. They want to distract us from the long rehabilitation work ahead,” he added.
The barangay officials who signed the complaint filed last March 27 were from Pajo, Malingin, Tinubdan, Calape, Tominjao, Maya, Agujo, Logon,Carnaza and Lanao.
Divisive
Corro, an engineer serving his first term as municipal mayor, said he has not received a copy of the complaint yet and only read about it in local newspapers.
He said the move “is very divisive” for Daanbantayan residents.
Corro said his administration is exhausting ways to to find relocation sites and building houses for the typhoon victims.
The criminal and administrative charges were filed by Daanbantayan barangay officials against Corro, Vice Mayor Gilbert Arrabis and three of the town’s councilors before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas.
They were accused of refusing to give relief goods and aid to officials identified with former mayor Loot.
Another 10 residents living behind Loot’s house in sitio Backyard, Poblacion also filed a criminal and administrative complaint saying Corro never acted on his “promises” to give them GI sheets, tarps and relief goods after the storm.
In response, Corro said he will welcome the case in court.He said he has documents to disprove the charges.
Corro said most of the relief aid was distributed “equally” to all barangays as recorded by the LGU’s staffers.
The beneficiaries as well as village chiefs signed the proof of receipt of the relief goods, he said.
“Let the rule of law take its course and the justice system work. I have full trust in the Office of the Ombudsman,” Corro said.
The complainants said barangay officials affiliated with Corro’s Liberal Party (LP), were prioritized in the distribution of relief aid.
But Corro said he set up proper procedures in the handling and distribution of relief aid. Donors were asked where they prefer to distribute the goods.
Some asked the municipal government to choose the barangays to ensure goods are distributed equally.