Dalaguete residents deny Mayor Cesante’s claims of politically motivated cases

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CEBU CITY, Philippines — Some residents of Dalaguete town have denied allegations that the cases they filed against Mayor Ronald Allan Cesante were politically motivated and were only brought forward during the campaign period for the upcoming national and local elections on May 12, 2025.

In a statement signed by the complainants — Jonamie Enseñales, Mengred Enseñales Gegremosa, Jose Rene Moran, Ildebrando Almagro, Valeriano Velarde, Braulio Moran, and Jacento Mario Belamide Bedico — they clarified that of the seven cases filed against the mayor, only one was filed this year. That case was lodged by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) before the Office of the Ombudsman on March 28, 2025.

READ: Dalaguete mayor, several town execs face graft case at Ombudsman

The six other cases were filed as early as last year.

“Tinuod nga pito ka kaso ang giatubang apan kini dili sa munisipyo, kung dili ang tanang reklamo, kiha o kaso batok lamang kaniya. Dili usab tinuod nga ang maong mga kaso gisang-at karong tuiga, sukwahi sa giluwatan sa mayor, gawas lang sa laing kaso nga gi-file sa NBI niadtong Marso 28, 2025 sa buhatan sa Ombudsman,” the unified statement said.

(It’s true that there are seven cases being faced, but these are not against the municipality. Rather, they are all complaints, charges, or cases filed solely against him. It is also not true that these cases were all filed this year, contrary to what the mayor claimed—except for one case that was filed by the NBI on March 28, 2025, before the Office of the Ombudsman.)

Among the cases filed against the mayor are allegations involving:

• The approval, utilization, and construction of a warehouse on private property without a deed of absolute sale or consent from the owner or heirs;
• The alleged overpricing in the construction of a pre-fabricated warehouse;
• The alleged unlawful use of municipal resources and manpower in a project awarded by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to Socor Construction Corporation;
• A similar case involving Powerframe Construction and Development Corp., which allegedly led to the death of a municipal job order employee;
• And the alleged non-payment of cash assistance mandated under Republic Act No. 7432, or the Senior Citizens Act, to qualified indigent seniors in the town.

Cesante had earlier denied all these complaints, claiming they were politically motivated.

The complainants also refuted the claim that the mayor was not given due process.

“Gipatawag siya mismo aron atubangon ug tubagon ang maong reklamo apan iya lang kining gipakagamay ug gibiay-biay ang taga NBI,” the statement added.

(He was personally summoned to face and respond to the complaint, but instead, he downplayed it and mocked the NBI personnel.)

They further called on the mayor to face the allegations squarely and not drag politics into the issue.

“Tungod niini, miawhag kami ni Mayor Ronald Allan Cesante nga hunungon na ang pagpamakak ug pagpangilad sa mga Dalaguitnon,” they said.

(Because of this, Mayor Ronald Allan Cesante and I are urging to stop the lies and deception of the people of Dalaguete.)

/clorenciana