This, after the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) certified that all projects identified in the plunder complaint the respondents filed against Pelayo had been “fully implemented and properly liquidated.”
The respondents accused Pelayo of allegedly using a P128-million fund for ghost agricultural projects while he was mayor of Candaba. Pelayo sued them for libel after the DA and the NIA issued a certification that no anomalies were committed in the implementation of projects covered by the fund.
RTC Branch 224 Judge Tita Marilyn Payoto- Villordon ordered the arrest of Arnold Canimo, Edgardo de Guzman, Gaudencio Lacanilao, Francisco San Pedro, Lorenzo Catacutan, Romeo Balatbat, Dionisio Pelayo, Freddie Pelayo, Judge orders 14 arrested on libel case filed by ex-Candaba mayor Rufino Pabalan, Dionisio Guevarra, Rodolfo Manalili, Jessie Laurente, Danilo Bartolome and Bernardo Santiago.
Pelayo quoted the RTC judge as saying that the libel case respondents “failed to prove their allegations. They cannot provide evidence. Because there was no truth to their accusations as attested by both the DA and the NIA.”
Pelayo said “the plunder complaint was nothing but political harassment being orchestrated by my political rival, incumbent Candaba Mayor Rene Maglanque.”
“He (Maglanque) is behind in all of these,” said Pelayo.
Pelayo also claimed “malice was so evident in the filing of plunder case against him as his accusers made sure it landed on the newspaper on the day of his son’s wedding on March 8, 2014.”
“They really wanted to humiliate me. On the day of my son’s wedding, instead of expected festive mood in the event, everyone was asking me if the newspaper article on the plunder case against me was true,” said Pelayo
He claimed he “lost business opportunities as former associates and potential partners avoided him because of the case.”
“If there is someone who could be liable for plunder, it should be Maglanque, who has been charged with plunder before the Ombudsman in 2013,” he said.
Pelayo said he is “contemplating filing a libel case against Maglanque aside from suing him for withholding all his benefits as former Candaba mayor even if he has all the necessary clearances.”
“It’s been almost three years already and yet has not released all the benefits due me and other former Candaba officials, including our terminal leave pay,” said Pelayo.
