A kagawad of Bacolod City’s Barangay 7 believed that political motives were behind his suspension from his post.
Kagawad Bernabe Sibug said his suspension was politically motivated.
He added that there was no prejudicial to service, abuse of authority or grave misconduct involved that led to his three-month suspension ordered by the Office of the Ombudsman in the Visayas.
Sibug said the allegations made by the complainant were unfounded, and the issue was fabricated.
The village kagawad hinted that Barangay Singcang-Airport Punong Barangay Caesar Distrito, allegedly the lawyer of the complainant, Cresensiano Torres, had a significant influence on his suspension.
He alleged that the suspension order was in retaliation for not supporting Distrito’s candidacy for vice mayor in Bacolod.
In a statement on Wednesday, September 4, Distrito refuted Sibug’s allegations, saying that the kagawad was suspended due to his own financial misconduct.
Distrito said Sibug’s suspension was solely due to his financial irresponsibility and had nothing to do with politics.
He revealed that Sibug borrowed money from Torres, and failed to repay it after seven years.
Torres has repeatedly attempted to collect the debt, but he was met with excuses.
Distrito also criticized Sibug for issuing a blank barangay check to pay the debt, an act which he described as illegal.
He clarified that while he had initially been the complainant’s lawyer, he had delayed filing the case to give Sibug a chance to settle his debt.
Sibug’s continued refusal to pay led Torres to seek another lawyer, he added.
Distrito further disclosed that Sibug had borrowed money from multiple individuals, including barangay captains, and had failed to repay them as well.
He expressed his frustration with Sibug’s attempts to evade responsibility and vowed to pursue legal action against him, accepting all cases previously declined against Sibug.
Distrito made it clear that Sibug’s suspension was a result of his own actions, not political motivations, and that he would now take on the role of legal counsel against Sibug in the mounting cases.
Earlier, the Office of the Ombudsman – Visayas issued a three-month suspension against Bernabe, along with his wife Punong Barangay Hercy Sibug, and barangay treasurer Edmar Base.
Based on the complaint, Torres alleged that the respondents asked him for a P140,000 loan in 2019 for the salaries of the barangay council and employees, including tanods and barangay health workers.
The Ombudsman said the village officials are liable for simple misconduct and are subject to a penalty of three months suspension without pay./WDJ