CEBU City Legal Officer Jerone Castillo insisted that he can have several residences and not just the family house in Consolacion town.
He said his parents own a house in Consolacion, but his wife and her family also have a house in barangay Mambaling, Cebu City.
“Is there a constitutional provision which bars a person from having more than one residence? Because owning a residence is a civil liberty. That’s part of our fundamental and basic liberties under our democracy,” Castillo told reporters yesterday.
Castillo made the statement after finding himself the target of a complaint filed by former congressman and Cebu City mayor Tomas Osmeña before the Civil Service Commission (CSC).
Osmeña wants the CSC to revoke Castillo’s appointment and dismiss him from public service with perpetual disqualification to hold any public office for “dishonesty” and “censurable conduct.”
Osmeña cited section 481 of the Local Government Code stating that “no person shall be appointed legal officer unless he is a citizen of the Philippines, a resident of the local government concerned.”
In his December 2014 complaint before the CSC, Osmeña attached a certification from barangay Poblacion Occidental of Consolacion stating that Castillo is a bonafide resident of the barangay as of November 12, 2014.
He also attached a copy of Castillo’s driver’s license detail which also bore the name of the town as his address.
An Oct. 30, 2014 certification from both the Commission on Elections (Comelec) north and south district election offices also showed that Castillo is not a registered voter of the city.
But a November 20, 2014 certification from the Comelec Consolacion office also stated that Castillo is no longer a registered voter in the town.
Sought for comment, Castillo said his wife lives in barangay Mambaling while his parents own a house in Consolacion.
Castillo is the second of Mayor Michael Rama’s department heads that have been targeted by Osmena with complaints.
In October last year, Osmeña also filed several administrative cases against Acting City Treasurer Diwa Cuevas.