Barangay chief faces theft

A barangay chairman in Manila is in hot water for taking benches from the Plaza Moriones in the barangay hall.

Rodrigo Velarde, chairman of Barangay 71 , Zone 6, District 1, is now facing charges of theft and destruction of public property before the Manila Prosecutor’s Office.

Manila Mayor Lito Atienza ordered the filling of charges against Velarde. "He’s the chairman I don’t want to work and deal with."

"There was an intention to keep the benches, which are part of the public plaza," Atienza told reporters yesterday afternoon.

Reports had it that elements of the Western Police District - Special Operation Group recovered the benches from Velarde’s barangay hall at the corner of Pavia and Nolasco streets on Dec. 11. The benches at the Plaza Moriones in Divisoria area have been missing for several weeks in early December and the mayor ordered the immediate recovery of the benches. During the "search operation", Velarde did not even report that he brought the benches to the barangay hall, the mayor said.

Velarde insisted that he took the benches to his barangay hall to have them repaired, though he admitted that he failed to inform the mayor about it.

Atienza said he expected barangay officials to help his administration in renewing the country’s capital under the program Buhayin ang Maynila. Under the program, the city government has improved several parks in Manila, which are now well-lighted and with wooden benches in which people can unwind. – Cecille Suete Felipe