By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia yesterday said he will consult his legal team on the possibility of filing charges regarding an allegedly tampered video depicting President Rodrigo Duterte being used as “propaganda material” against him. The mayor is up for reelection in the upcoming polls.

During a press conference, Leonardia said he is also referring the case to the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) as the video was supposedly sourced from their office.

The video depicts a speech by the president during the groundbreaking for the San Lorenzo Ruiz General Hospital in Malabon City. Earlier allegations claimed, in that speech, Duterte expressed his displeasure with the incumbent mayor over the death of deputy Police Station 6 commander, Senior Police Officer 4 Oscar Exaltado.

Leonardia earlier took aim at former Bacolod City Mayor Monico 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 incumbent mayor previously affirmed there was no such statement made in the said speech.

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