By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent
MAYOR Oscar Moreno over the weekend blamed the decision of Macasandig barangay chairman Ernesto Edrote and two other village officials to step down on political pressure.
Moreno said the sight of Edrote, barangay treasurer Ma. Fe Campanilla and barangay executive secretary Rey Ranes Balandra receiving their dismissal order from the ombudsman was a “very touching moment.”
“Saludo ako kang Kapitan Edrote. Talagsa-on kana nga attitude, humility ug gawi,” said Moreno.
Edrote, Campanilla and Balandra voluntarily stepped down from office on Friday after they were slapped with dismissal orders by the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with a graft case filed by former Macasandig chairman and city councilor Aaron Neri.
Edrote’s group has assailed the dismissal order, and filed a motion for reconsideration. But they decided to step down, saying they were already fed up with what they called as a “political harassment,” and in order to diffuse the tension among warring political groups in Macasandig. Edrote yielded his post to Neri who was elected barangay councilor with the most number of votes.
Edrote, Campanilla and Balandra did not wait for Moreno to serve the dismissal order–they went straight to his office and personally received it.
Edrote and his group were held liable for grave misconduct based on the April 10 complaint of Neri, Jesus Olano, Carlson Villegas, and Eric Waban.
The case stemmed from the purchase of construction materials for the barangay from an establishment owned by Balandra.
“Sakit kayo alang kanako ang decision sa ombudsman batok nila ni Kapitan Edrote,” said Moreno but added that he understood their decision because they wanted to avoid more quarrels and confrontation among warring political supporters in Macasandig’s barangay hall.
Neri, incidentally, is a candidate for city councilor of the Centrist Democratic Party (CDP) of Rep. Rufus Rodriguez of the city’s 2nd District.
Moreno is facing a similar situation at city hall after he was slapped with a dismissal order by the ombudsman over the controversial city hall-Ajinomoto tax settlement. The mayor however held on to his post, filed an appeal before the ombudsman, and brought the matter to the appellate court.
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