Village chiefs back embattled Paz

CEBU, Philippines - Lapu-Lapu City's barangay captains openly expressed their support to Mayor Paz Radaza amid the charges she is facing for allegedly creating fictitious loans during her helm as president of the now defunct Rural Bank of Subangdaku Inc.

Twenty-five of the city's 30 barangay captains on Tuesday manifested their support to the mayor after attending a meeting called by her husband, former congressman Arturo Radaza, held at the conference room of the Association of Barangay Councils building in Lapu-Lapu City.

After the meeting, the barangay heads also paid Mayor Radaza a courtesy visit in the City Hall. The five other village chiefs were not able to show up but they have reportedly expressed the same support the embattled mayor.

Gun-ob barangay captain Jose Dungog, also the ABC president, led the barangay captains in meeting with former congressman Radaza and the visiting Mayor Radaza.

A Lapu-Lapu City barangay captain told The FREEMAN they were informed early this week of the filing of charges against Mayor Paz Radaza by the Department of Justice before the Municipal Trial Court in Cities and the Mandaue City Regional Trial Court.

The source, requesting anonymity, said Basak barangay captain Isabelo Darnayla suggested that Mayor Radaza should visit at the different barangays in Lapu-Lapu City and explain her side of the case to the people.

Darnayla, according to the source, believes that it is one way of clarifying the issues related to the cases filed against the mayor.

However, for Pajo barangay captain Junard Ahong Chan, there is no need for Mayor Radaza to round the different barangays and explain to the people, still according to the source interviewed by The FREEMAN. Some barangay captains reportedly supported Chan's suggestion.

Radaza used to be the president of the RBSI which had been long closed down after the anomaly was exposed.

The Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation filed the cases before the Department of Justice against Radaza, former loans manager Julius Eullaran and directors Francisco Gaisano, Peter Gaisano and Sonia Go. On Tuesday, the DOJ filed criminal charges against the accused before the courts in Mandaue City which has jurisdiction over Barangay Subangdaku.

The FREEMAN found out that there were 62 separate cases filed against Radaza and other accused assigned at the sala of RTC Presiding Judge Augustine Vestil. Separate cases were also assigned at the sala of MTCC Branch 3 Presiding Judge Wilfredo Dagatan and MTCC Branch 2 Presiding Judge Carlos Fernando. (FREEMAN)