By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

After Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia went after former Bacolod City Mayor Monico Puentevella last week surrounding a viral social media post suggesting President Rodrigo Duterte was upset with the incumbent mayor over the death of deputy Police Station 6 commander, Senior Police Officer 4 Oscar Exaltado, with the latter characterizing it as “fake news,” the former mayor and candidate for Bacolod City lone district representative called on Leonardia to stop “finger pointing.”

“He shouldn’t say that this is a lie,” Puentevella said. “The president is not a liar–why would he say this is fake news?”

“That is a very clear manifestation, on the part of President Duterte, telling you to do your job,” he added.

Puentevella also noted, if Duterte issued a warning to a mayor and a barangay captain, “It is not a good sign.”

Leonardia earlier took aim at Puentevella by saying the story is being “peddled by a politician who claims to be a singing champion.”

“It was spread by a Facebook page that bears his name and that of his boxer son,” Leonardia said, referencing an incident last year when Bacolod City Councilor Claudio Jesus ‘Kalaw’ Puentevella punched City Councilor Dindo Ramos.

The post claims the president indicated his displeasure in a speech made during the groundbreaking for the San Lorenzo Ruiz General Hospital in Malabon City; however, the mayor said there was no such statement.

After downloading a transcript of the speech, Leonardia affirmed the speech “does not mention my nickname ‘Bing,’ or my first name Evelio, or my surname Leonardia.”/DGB, WDJ