For alleged misbehavior at hotel: Mabolo chief faces charges

CEBU, Philippines — The newly elected captain of Barangay Mabolo in Cebu City is in hot water after a security officer of a popular hotel in the city filed charges against her for alleged misbehavior while at the hotel.

The complainant, Welbert Pepito, 40, a resident of Barangay Banilad, filed charges against Barangay Captain Prisca Niña Mabatid for grave misconduct and conduct unbecoming of a public officer – both violative of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.

“I felt very much belittled and insulted by the manner that barangay captain Mabatid had mocked me and scoffed at my person by shouting at me and pointing fingers at me when I was just trying to do my job. It was obvious that she looked down on my person and my occupation by the way she was shouting at me,” Pepito’s affidavit reads.

Mabatid said she has not received a copy of the complaint as of yesterday, despite Pepito having filed it on June 26.

Alleged incident

Pepito alleged that while on duty on June 19, 2018, he noticed two people who “appeared to be drunk” enter the hotel at nearly 5 a.m. and proceeded to the elevator.

When he approached them and asked if they were registered guests, the woman he later came to know as Mabatid allegedly started shouting nasty words at him. She allegedly kept on doing so even as he tried to explain that it was part of the hotel’s standard procedure and protocol.

Mabatid allegedly shouted that she is not a “whore” and she is aware of the hotel’s policies being a corporate account holder there.  She reportedly asked if Pepito knew her but when he answered in the negative, Mabatid then told him she is the barangay captain of Mabolo.

Still, Pepito said he asked for their room number politely so he could verify with their front desk, but Mabatid’s companion, a certain Ramon Floresta, allegedly punched him.

At this point, the hotel’s duty manager, Irene Juliet Lacerna, reportedly intervened but Floresta also allegedly hit her.

Pepito said they reported the incident to the Mabolo Police Station immediately and secured a medical certificate as proof of the injuries they sustained.

A video from the closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera, which has gone viral, recorded the heated exchange.

Self protection

Mabatid did not confirm nor deny the incident directly but said that she only protected herself when the security staff did not treat them well.

“You know, I have not committed any crime. I have not done any crime or anything wrong. Ako ra gyud, I was just protecting myself as my right as a guest or customer because we were not treated right. Mao ra man to,” she said.

She also said she has not seen the CCTV footage.

“Pero paghuman ato, wala ra man to. It was just settled. Wala man to siya’y problema. If there are other issues, wala na ko’y problema ana. As far as I know, as a public servant aware man ko sa akong behavior,” Mabatid said.

Political?

She said the allegation is politically motivated, considering that she is planning to run for president for the Association of Barangay Councils in Cebu City.

“I know kini silang tanan nigawas because I am running for ABC and that issue is so long ago and gipagawas lang nila karon kay I am running for ABC,” she said.

Mabatid is confident that the issue will not tarnish her name as a barangay official nor will it affect her possible candidacy in the ABC. She said she is still consulting her political advisers and claims she is being endorsed by the Office of the President. (FREEMAN)