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CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – Banking on the awards for good governance the city under his administration received from national government agencies, Mayor Edwin “EdSa” Santiago said it is these agencies that may well answer the complaints filed against him before the Ombudsman.
On Friday morning former Barangay Dolores chairman Melchor S. Caluag, accompanied by DILG Undersecretary for Barangay Affairs Martin Diño and Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption president Arsenio “Boy” Evangelista filed a graft complaint against Santiago and four other city officials arising from alleged overpricing of relief goods procured by the city government for distribution during the community quarantine.
Among those charged with Santiago are city accountant Ma. Gisselle Rivera, general services office chief Michael Quizon, city social welfare and development officer Aileen Villanueva, and OIC-city health officer Dr. Renaly Tungol.
In a press conference he called Friday afternoon, Santiago said that he will answer all allegations soon as he receives copy of the complaint: “We’ve got wind of the complaint he filed but as of this time, we have not received a copy of the documents. We shall answer all the complainant’s allegations point by point since the city government and all its departments, as well as personnel, are very transparent in their transactions, pandemic or no pandemic.“
Santiago went on a narrative of what he called the consistency of the city government in the field of good governance “as evidenced by its Seal of Good Housekeeping and Seal of Good Local Governance from the Department of Interior and Local Government for the years 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.”
“Last year, we were again awarded for having zero disallowance under financial administration or financial housekeeping. It simply means we are very transparent and very responsible, and there is a discipline in spending,” Santiago noted.
Confident with the transparency and accountability of the city government particularly with its finances, Santiago said he personally requested last June 2 for a special audit “so we can maximize the resources of our departments–especially the city health office and social welfare department–which are operating 24/7 in this time of the pandemic.”
The city government’s fiscal prudence has resulted to what Santiago said as: “While other local government units have stopped extending assistance as they are running out of funds, we in the city government see the assistance of all classes for Fernandinos running until the end of the year. We are in on a long battle with Covid-19 so we have asked all our departments to maximize and prudently use our budgets for the pandemic and other comprehensive programs.”
Santiago exuded confidence that: “With the audit, we are optimistic the truth will come out and all these fake news which are punishable under the law, will stop.” He made special note that it was the Office of the Mayor that was the first to be subjected to the audit which extended to all barangays to obtain all results required by COA.
The mayor said with these measures all the charges will be answered, not by him, but through the proper agencies the law mandates: “Sila po ang sasagot. Hindi ang Facebook, hindi ang fake accounts na may maling impormasyon and create confusion.”
Santiago then took a swipe at complainant: “Ang tutuo ang lalabas dahil sa tutuo lang, ni isang matinong tao wala pang nag-complain sa San Fernando, ornidaryo man basta matitino ang kaisipan. Walang complain sa ayuda, walang complain sa anuman. Kung meron man, dapat idaan sa proper venue at hindi iyung kung sini-sino ang pinupuntahan.“
“My plea, as before, is let us be one in fighting this pandemic. Let’s set aside politics since elections are years away and I am not running anymore. May panahon iyan. Sa ngayon, sama-sama muna upang labanan ang Covid-19,” he added.
The complainant’s wife, current Barangay Dolores chair and Association of Barangay Captains president Vilma Caluag ran and lost against Santiago in the mayoral contest last year. – With CSF-CIO
