Ombudsman fines barangay captain in Medellin town

CEBU, Philippines - The Office of the Ombudsman Visayas meted a barangay captain in Medellin, Cebu a fine of equivalent to his three months salary after he was found guilty of simple misconduct for hitting a constituent.

Graft investigator Sarah Jo Vergara has found Luy-a Barangay Captain Juan Rosal administratively guilty of hitting Ricardo Tapayan on July 27, 2011.

 “The punong barangay is supposed to oversee the maintenance of peace and order in the barangay. To carry this out effectively, the barangay chief must himself be an advocate of freedom from discord and harmonious relationship among neighbors,” the decision read.

On top of the fine equivalent to his three months salary, the anti-graft office also issued a stern warning against Rosal that a repetition of a similar offense shall be dealt with severely.

Rosal allegedly got irked at Tapayan for driving away his pet birds. According to Tapayan, the pets of Rosal were consuming the feeds for his fighting cocks.

The barangay captain summoned the complainant and hit him using a wooden table and boxed him several times causing injuries that require medical attention for over a week.

Rosal claimed that it was Tapayan who started the fight. It allegedly started when his wife got into an argument with the complainant over their pets.

Rosal alleged that Tapayan pelted his wife with stones. Fortunately his wife was not hit but their house was. Rosal said that he, together with the tanods, confronted the complainant but the latter allegedly hit him in the chest prompting him to fight back.

But Vergara ruled that Rosal failed as a political leader.

“An impulsive temperament, oblivious to the reasonable counsel of self-control, is not conducive for peace-keeping responsibilities.

Respondent has defiantly failed on this aspect of his political leadership,” the decision read.

— (FREEMAN)