City hall goes on red alert

By NITZ ARANCON

ACTING city administrator Dionne Gersana yesterday placed city hall under red alert over an alleged plan to force Mayor Oscar Moreno out of office despite the motion for reconsideration he filed before the ombudsman on Monday.

This came even as Moreno called the ombudsman’s ruling against him as the “worst crisis” so far in his political career.

Gersana said there were intelligence reports about an alleged plan to take over the seat of the local government, evict Moreno, and install Vice Mayor Caesar Ian Acenas as mayor.

“Ang atong instruction sa atong mga security personnel, nga kon na-ay  mga taga  DILG, uban sa pulis, ilang pasudlon, pero kon mga tawo lang labi na sa mga kontra sa politika ni Mayor Moreno, dili ipasulod kay makahatag unya og kasamok ug mabalda na hino-on ang  atong trabaho,” Gersana said.

Gersana said city hall’s security group was merely implementing precautionary measures throughout the city hall compound.

For his part, Mayor Moreno assured that it would be “business as usual” at city hall even with the alert level up.

Moreno has also cautioned against a “show of force” by his supporters or by any political group in the city despite what he called the “worst crisis” in his political career.

“Dili ti-aw. I have gone through many  crises before but this is so far the worst, and I hope  this will be the last,” said Moreno who was ordered dismissed and barred from holding public office by the ombudsman.

Moreno maintained he has nothing to hide, and maintained his innocence.

“I am being  punished for something that I did not do, that I did not even know about,” Moreno told city hall employees on Monday. (nitz arancon)