Ex-CH consultant pleads not guilty to usurpation

CEBU, Philippines - Former City Hall consultant Romeo Cordova entered a not guilty plea in the criminal complaint for usurpation of official functions filed by Cebu City South District Rep. Tomas Osmeña.

Cordova was assisted by his counsel Janeses Ponce during the arraignment of his case last Friday before the Municipal Trial Court in Cities Branch 6.

MTCC Judge Pamela Baring-Uy has set the pre-trial conference of the case on May 9.

The case stemmed from Cordova’s memorandum dated March 31, 2011 addressed to all employees of the South Road Properties Security Unit.

The memorandum designated Florence Balungcas as the new security officer of the SRP relieving Christian Hembra and reassigned him to another area.

Cordova also issued a separate memorandum directing Claire Cabaldo of the Office of the Mayor to transfer Balungcas to the security office.

Osmeña said that Cordova has gone overboard in his function. According to the congressman, as consultant Cordova’s function is limited only to giving advises on his field of expertise.

“As consultant on public safety, chief of security and in-house Ombudsman of the Office of the City Mayor, respondent has no authority to assume as chief of the Civil Security Unit, heading the security functions of the SRP, head the Peace and Order Program and the Mobile Alarm Response System,” Osmeña said in his complaint.

Osmeña said the designation of Balungcas was “arbitrary and contrary to law” as Hembra was employed by the city government in charge of the security of the SRP.

He added Hembra as head of SRP security was effective in his job.

“Needless to state, Ms. Florence Balungcas has limited, if not a total lack of knowledge of the security details of the SRP aside from the fact that she has questionable background as a person,” the complaint reads.

Cordova however denied all the accusations in the complaint. — (FREEMAN)