MISAMIS Oriental Gov. Yevgeny Vincente Emano yesterday lashed back at Cagayan de Oro Mayor Oscar Moreno for allegedly accusing him as a “handyman” in connection with the Office of the Ombudsman’s decision to file graft charges against the city’s chief executive.
Emano said this in response to Moreno’s allegation that the graft case was the handiwork of the governor, filed after he defeated the governor’s father Vicente in the 2013 elections. Moreno, during a news conference, called the graft case a continuation of a “political persecution” being carried out against him since his first office term as mayor of the city.
In a press statement released by the capitol, Gov. Emano criticized Moreno for accusing him “as handyman in what the media described ‘faces dismissal anew’ before the Office of the Ombudsman.”
Instead of blaming others, Emano said, “Moreno should ask his teammates in city hall and political partymates as likely behind the Ombudsman’s order to dismiss the mayor from office for entering illegal activities in the Capitol while he was governor in the province of Misamis Oriental in 2013.”
“Himuot sad ko ana. Mga upat na ka tuig nilabay unya karon na lang. Wa galing ko kahibalo ana nga balita kay ang tinuod, ambot kung unsa ba kaha iyang nakaon nga sige naman lang ug pagpasumangil kining tawhana,” Emano was quoted as saying. “Perhaps, out of desperation, wala na siyay laing pasumanginlan pulitika na lang.”
Emano said Moreno should instead ask his political allies who was really working for his dismissal as mayor of the city. “Mas makakita pa siguro siya ug mas tin-aw nga tubag.”
He said good citizens would follow the order of the ombudsman although “we have the right to defend ourselves.”
Emano added: “Dili na nato kinahanglan nga ipahid pa ngadto sa lain ang atong salaud nga nahimo ato na lamang kining tubagon ug atubangon.”
Moreno said he was no longer governor when the Commission on Audit (COA) looked into the lease of heavy equipment during an “exit conference,” claiming that he was unaware of notices pertaining to the transactions.
“Wala ko kahibalo nga naghimo og exit conference ang COA. Wala sab ko nakabalo nga nag-issue na ang COA sa notice of suspension, ug kay wala may nag-atiman sa issuance sa notice of suspension. Na-issue gyud nila ang notice of disallowance, so na-shock ako,” Moreno 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.
