Buenavista Vice Mayor cries political harassment
From left, lawyer Cornelio Panes, SB Member
Jonayreh Gaitano and Vice Mayor Gregg Gagatam
during the press conference.
Beleaguered Vice Mayor Herald Gregg Gagatam of Buenavista, Guimaras has turned the tables on Governor JC Rahman Nava as the brains behind the complaint he is currently facing before the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.
Gagatam in a press conference in Iloilo City Monday said the move is part of the plot by Nava's allies to politically harass him as he is seen as the governor's strong challenger in the 2007 election.
Gagatam said the governor merely uses Buenavista Mayor Samuel Gumarin and the other provincial officials in a bid to discredit him.
Gumarin earlier charged Gagatam before the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for being always absent in the Sangguniang Bayan's regular sessions.
Gagatam through counsel however questioned the Sangguniang Panlalawigan taking jurisdiction over the case citing the provisions of the Local Government Code.
He maintained that it is the Sangguniang Bayan, where he is a member, which has jurisdiction over the case.
Consequently, Gagatam filed a Petition/Complaint before the Office of the President to avail of administrative remedies against Gumarin and Vice Governor Aurelio Tionada.
He likewise filed usurpation charges before the Office of the Ombudsman Visayas against Gumarin, Tionada and the members of the Guimaras Provincial Board, Vicente De Asis, David Gano, Rolando Gadnanan, Hernane Galanza, Allan Chavez, Josefina Dela Cruz, Edgardo Diaz, Avelino Gonzaga, April Rose Gange, Salvador Talaman and Carmelina Fernandez.
SB member Jonayreh Gaitano, an ally of Gagatam, warned that they are preparing two more graft charges against Gumarin. He, however, refused to divulge details about the upcoming cases they would be filing against Gumarin promising to make it public once already filed.
Gagatam also clarified that the issue on his numerous absences was blown out of proportions by his detractors. He said all his absences were justified and that he had notified the SB secretariat about it.
The vice mayor added that even if he has many absences in the SB sessions still he is attending to his responsibilities to his constituents in the town of Buenavista. "Just ask the people of Buenavista what I have done for them," Gagatam said.
Asked if he is indeed planning to run for governor in 2007, Gagatam said, "it is still early to say."