Manila mayor didn't order Celdran arrest

MANILA, Philippines - Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim did not order the arrest of Carlos Celdran.

This Lim clarified through his deputy mayor Joey Silva.

Silva deplored what he described as part of an apparently orchestrated and continuing efforts to link the name of the mayor to every other issue that would tend to destroy the chief executive’s reputation.

He particularly took exception to the news posted online by at least two major television networks stating that when Celdran staged his protest against the bis­hops’ opposition to the reproductive health bill at the Manila Cathedral, Lim was there and that it was the mayor who ordered Celdran’s arrest. According to Silva, this is grossly unfair since the mayor was nowhere during the said event.

Silva said he was the one designated by Lim to represent him in the 3 p.m. Ecumenical Mass intended to celebrate the second anniversary of the May They Be One Bible Campaign last Sept. 30.

“The erroneous news triggered negative comments about the mayor which is highly unfair and a result of irresponsible reporting. Mayor Lim was not there.” Ako ang nandun and in fact, nung mangyari `yun ay ni di ko nga gaanong napansin dahil akala ko parte ng misa o kaya ay short play,” Silva said.

SPO2 Ernesto Andres, who, for one, was even quoted in a GMANews. TV report as having said “Nandoon si Mayor Lim sa misa eh. Nilapitan siya ng pari,” he denied this.

“Andun lang ako sa mesa sa Intramuros police station being the desk officer at that time, so paano ko malalaman kung nandun sa misa si Mayor Lim o wala? Wala akong karapatan na magsalita sa media tungkol sa kaso dahil hindi naman ako ang apprehending officer. Moreso, I didn’t say that the mayor wanted Celdran to be arrested,” Andres pointed out. 

His superior, Police Community Precinct-Intramuros Station Commander Chief Inspector Johnny Gaspar, said he was also surprised how Lim’s name came into the picture.

Gaspar said he was right outside the Cathedral when he learned that Celdran was taken away for disrupting the Mass which was attended by soldiers, policemen, firemen as well as Boy and Girl Scouts, who were all in uniform.