Maquino hits back at accuser as SP probe continues
Sta. Barbara Mayor Isabelo Maquino dismissed as plain and simple harassment the administrative complaint lodged against him by a former political rival.
With said statement forming part the official rebuttal made on the charges, Mayor Maquino heeded the response sought by the 9th Iloilo Sanggunian Panlalawigan (SP) while maintaining his innocence on any abuse supposedly committed.
The mayor stands accused in Administrative Case No. 2007-002 in what now stands as the "buena mano" case handled by the SP body.
Convening as a quasi-judicial body, the respondent mayor faces off with erstwhile opponent Larry Deatras.
The charges as filed include grave abuse of authority, dereliction of duty and dishonesty. An earlier criminal case was also filed by Deatras with the charges stemming from the now controversial construction of a gas station in Santa Barbara.
The complaint was made by Deatras as president of the Santa Barbara National Comprehensive High School Parents and Teachers Association.
Vice Governor Rolex Suplico as a matter of procedure requested for Maquino's rebuttal on the charges with the earlier grant of a ten-day extension. Yet if Deatras' plea is to be heard, he would want the SP body to recommend and decide for Maquino's dismissal from service.
Grave abuse of authority, dereliction of duty and dishonesty were allegedly committed, Deatras in his complaint said.
Mayor Maquino in his official reply addressed the issue saying such request should be junked by the probe body.
The problem as reported to the SP stemmed from Mayor Maquino's approval of a Special Use Permit issued to Santos Petroleum Corporation. The approval, Deatras contends, was in violation of Section 30 of Ordinance No. 6-S-2000, otherwise known as the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance of Sta. Barbara.
The provision was allegedly violated "where the filling station shall be located at least 100-meter distance from the nearest schools, churches, hospitals and other similar institutions and the actual distance of the site of the gasoline station and the school fence is more or less 97 centimeters and not 97 meters as maliciously claimed by Defendant."
Since the issue became public, supporters of the mayor has come out in his defense and shared the mayor's contention that the charges are pure political harassments.