Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod Secretary Nilo Alejandrino yesterday denied the charges filed by Councilor Caesar Distrito against him, saying his complaint-affidavit is self-serving and exaggerated.
However, Alejandrino said he welcomed the complaint filed by Distrito against him as it will give him an opportunity to refute the allegations in his complaint. He said he was given three days by the Vice Mayor to file his answer. Distrito filed an administrative complaint against Alejandrino Tuesday for alleged grave misconduct, conduct unbecoming, gross insubordination, unprofessional conduct and grave abuse of authority before the Office of the Vice Mayor. In his complaint-affidavit, Distrito said he and Alejandrino had a verbal confrontation Monday when he asked the SP Secretary not to alter the notices of hearing by placing “casual employee” in the space provided for the name of the City Legal Officer. Distrito, who is vision-impaired in one eye, said Alejandrino raised his voice against him accusing him of siding with City Legal Officer Joselito Bayatan, and later shouted repeatedly in a provocative manner, words that insult his physical disability. He said that while he was about to go out of the SP office, Alejandrino threw a chair towards him but it was stopped by an SP employee, and the second chair he threw was caught by some of the SP staff. Alejandrino said he will file counter-charges against Distrito. Distrito said he will also file a criminal complaint against Alejandrino for two counts of threat, falsification of public document, slander by deeds, and violation of the Magna Carta for Person with Disability. “How can he accuse me of falsification when I was the one who prepared the notice myself?” Alejandrino asked. Alejandrino said the claims of Distrito that he said words to him like “Kay gapabulag-bulag ka mo! (because you are trying to play blind)” was just rhetoric and was not meant to ridicule him. He said that was just his choice of words when he meant that Distrito’s committee had jurisdiction to handle the correspondence of Bayatan, but he was abroad at that time. He only reacted since Distrito blamed him when the correspondence was not calendared in the SP agenda, he added. Distrito had written Alejandrino earlier asking him to explain why he failed to calendar the request of Bayatan for pre-trial authority. Alejandrino said as SP Secretary, he is only answerable to the SP as a collegial body and not to an individual councilor. The chair-throwing incident, on the other hand, is just a figment of Distrito’s imagination, Alejandrino said. He took a chair sit on but it slipped from his hand, he said. Alejandrino said he perceives that most of the cases filed against him, especially the ones filed by Bayatan, are just harassment. Meanwhile, Alejandrino welcomed the suggestion of Councilor El Cid Familiaran that the conflict between them be settled in an executive-legislative caucus. He said the conflict is just a waste of their time. Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson said his office has jurisdiction over the administrative complaints filed against Alejandrino and if he does not act on them, he will be liable under the law. Sayson assured the city officials concerned that he will be fair in dealing with the complaint, in reaction to the claims of Alejandrino that Distrito might influence the decision of the Vice Mayor, being his party mate. Sayson advised the individuals concerned to stop giving interviews in the meantime. The hearing of the case should be terminated within 30 days from receipt of the answers, Sayson said. CHRYSEE SAMILLANOVisayan Daily Star
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