width=
- Advertisement -

VICE Mayor Caesar Ian Acenas is courting a case for violation of the code of conduct for people in government over his alleged inaction pertaining to Xavier University president Fr. Roberto Yap’s request for a dialogue on the city’s garbage problem, the president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) in Cagayan de Oro and Misamis Oriental said yesterday.

Lawyer Rey Raagas, IBP president for Cagayan de Oro and Misamis Oriental, said this following Fr. Yap’s revelation that he wrote Acenas and the city council twice this year because he wanted to discuss the garbage problem with the city’s legislators but he received no response.

- Advertisement -

Yap’s letters were sent in Jan. 22 and May 22.

Raagas said Acenas was exposing himself to a lawsuit for violation of the Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials.

Specifically, Raagas said, Acenas could be charged with violating Section 5(a) of RA 6713 under the Duties of Public Officials and Employees.

The clause provides that “in the performance of their duties, all public officials and employees are under obligation to: (a) Act promptly on letters and requests. – All public officials and employees shall, within fifteen (15) working days from receipt thereof, respond to letters, telegrams or other means of communications sent by the public. The reply must contain the action taken on the request.”

Fr. Yap, who chairs city hall’s Solid Waste Management Board, earlier sounded alarm bells over the risks being posed by the city dump in Carmen, and sought a dialogue with Acenas and councilors over the need for city hall to close down the sanitary landfill in Carmen and open up a new dumpsite elsewhere.

Raagas said Yap could sue Acenas for giving him the cold shoulder based on RA 6713.

If not, any citizen exposed to the city dump risks could file a case against the vice mayor, he said. “We are talking of two counts of violation of Section 5(a) of RA 6713 because Fr. Yap wrote them twice, and twice, they snubbed him by not replying,” Raagas said. (nitz arancon)

Disclaimer

Mindanao Gold Star Daily holds the copyrights of all articles and photos in perpetuity. Any unauthorized reproduction in any platform, electronic and hardcopy, shall be liable for copyright infringement under the Intellectual Property Rights Law of the Philippines.

- Advertisement -