Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza said she will appeal her 90-day suspension order issued by the Sandiganbayan since the case was filed against her when she was still a private citizen.
Radaza, along with several officials including Provincial Board (PB) Member Celestino “Tining” Martinez III, was charged for the 2002 alleged misuse of P15 million in pork barrel funds intended for an anti-drug program of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines (GSP) (see related story). Radaza was the treasurer of the group at the time.
“Why suspend me for a case in which I was still a private citizen when I haven’t done anything wrong in my service as mayor of the city?” she told reporters.
Radaza said while a preventive suspension is intended to prevent the subject from influencing the course of an investigation, she cannot manipulate the documents at the GSP.
“Wala sab ko’y tulubagon ana kay I am only a treasurer and I am under the order of my superior (I don’t have responsibility over it as I am only a treasurer and I am under the order of my superior),” the mayor said.
Radaza’s challenger, businessman Efrain Pelaez Jr., said the mayor should quit her post.
“The accusations leveled against her are serious cases. If those do not loudly speak of her character, I don’t know what will,” said Pelaez in a press conference yesterday.
Pelaez, who is challenging Radaza for the third time, said the mayor humiliated the Liberal Party (LP) which chose her as their candidate in 2016.
Pelaez ran under the LP banner but lost to Radaza in 2013.
After he was dropped by LP in favor of Radaza, Pelaez transferred to the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC). He is supporting presidential bet Sen. Grace Poe.
Aside from Radaza and Tining, also ordered suspended were Bogo City councilors Rhett Minguez and Cresencio Verdida who served as municipal treasurer and accountant, respectively, at the time.