Pinamungajan officials sued

CEBU, Philippines - A former councilor of Pinamungajan town filed a case before the Office of the Ombudsman Visayas against their mayor, vice mayor and other public officials for administrative and criminal complaints.

Josefa Laparan, a resident of Barangay Binabag, Pinamungajan, filed charges for violation of Republic Act No. 6713 or Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, abuse of authority and grave misconduct against nine public officials.

The nine officials were Mayor Geraldine Yapha, Vice Mayor Maria Honeylette Yapha, Poblacion Barangay Captain Jeffrey Yapha, Poblacion barangay councilman Jessie Managaytay, Market Committee chairman Romulo Enario and members Manuelito Cerna, Francisco Bellones, Jeffrey Anthony Yapha and Orchid Marie Guelos.

Likewise, Laparan filed additional criminal complaints against barangay captain Yapha and its councilman Managaytay for usurpation of authority and grave coercion.

Laparan, who occupies Stall 53 in the Pinamungajan Public Market, said she used to be president of the vendor’s organization for past 20 years and was replaced last year before the elections.

She said when Mayor Yapha called for a meeting with all vendors before the election she was not informed and in the meeting she was replaced as president of the organization.

She added during the election she actively supported the candidacy of One Cebu candidate for mayor Glenn Baricuatro and Rep. Pablo John Garcia and the rest of the One Cebu slate.

Laparan said when she was in her last contract of lease of the market stall dated May 31, 2010 she was allowed to continue occupying her stall with the promise to renew or sign a new contract.

Laparan said on June 23, 2010, she wrote a letter to the mayor that she was interested in a stall in the public market after Enario sent a letter to all public market stallholders that there will be no renewal and the lease will be accepted by the municipality.

However, Laparan did not receive any reply from the mayor and she decided to continue the occupancy and pay the rent.

But on November 9, 2010, Laparan received a letter from the mayor that she will not be given any contract so that other applicants will have the chance to get a stall in the public market.

Laparan said the letter did not state any criteria in making a decision of not giving her contract which led her to write back and say it was unfair and discriminatory.

Laparan added she received in reply an undated letter citing Section 22 of the contract that she violated particularly the payment of legal fees which she claimed was untrue.

On December 13, 2010 her stall and those of her son, Garry, and daughter-in-law, Gregoria, were padlocked.

Laparan said “it can be gleaned that only my family was taken out of the public market because other stallholders were given renewals of their contracts because they were politically aligned with the administration.” – (FREEMAN)