By Nora Soriño
Iligan City Bureau Chief .
Iligan City — Mayor Celso Regencia has claimed that the Special Cafgu Active Auxiliary the city has formed has been approved by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Secretary of the Interiors Eduardo Año.
During the flag raising ceremony Monday, Regencia denied that the Scaa is not his “private army” and that those who said so were out to demonize him.
“Ila lang kong gidaut,” he said.
However, Regencia did not say the exact date when Lorenzana approved the formation of a Scaa unit for the city.
He added that also he is being rediculed by giving another meaning to it like: “Si Celso akong amo.”
His purpose in forming the Scaa unit is to ensure the safety of the city.
To recall, a group seeking to unseat Regencia has accused him of forming and maintaining a “private army” using city hall funds.
The mayor was accused of forming a 120-person Special Cafgu Active Auxiliary group funded by city hall. Each member, according to the complaint, receives P10,000.
They also alleged that the group was armed at the expense of city hall The group, they said have been stationed in Canaway, Tibanga and that many of the armed group’s members are not from this city but from neighboring Lanao del Norte.
The Jan. 17 complaint was signed by Regencia’s critics lawyer Moises Dalisay, Jr. Councilor Sammy Huertas, Marianito Alemania, Dr. Chonilo Ruiz, Hinaplanon barangay chair Nick Echavez, Francis Balbutin, Benedicto Olayvar, Pala-o barangay chair Wilfredo Niez, Councilor Rosevi Belmonte, former councilor Simplicio Larrazabal III, former Del Carmen barangay chair Emmalinda dela Cruz, and former mayor Lawrence Ll. Cruz, among others.
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