BM Ardivilla: They want to silence me
ROXAS CITY – Board Member Gilbert Ardivilla said that the investigation sought by his colleagues in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan last week was a “politically motivated character assassination” for him to keep silent on all the issues he has raised.
Ardivilla in reaction to the privilege speech delivered by Board Member Vincent Fritz Cruz Am told The News Today that the investigation being sought by Cruz Am was meant to silence him on the issues he has raised like mining issues, Commission on Audit (COA) reports 2008 regarding the financial status of the provincial government and the P250 million proposed loan.
“I wish to manifest before this august body that I resent the malicious insinuation contained in the privilege speech of Cruz Am,” Ardivilla said.
According to him, there is an ongoing investigation before the office of the city prosecutor concerning the murder of Mr Art Cruz and in that proceeding, “I was not even charged as a respondent despite the mere mention of my name in the affidavit of the witness,” Ardivilla added.
The board member also said that clearly, the prosecutor is in the right track towards arriving a judicious and fair outcome as he urged his colleagues not to “muddle the issue by conducting our own investigation.”
“Frankly, the suggestion of Cruz Am to investigate me will simply serve his selfish ends of political grandstanding that will waste all our time, efforts and the public money, let us respect the investigation of the prosecutor which is the right office to investigate,” he added.
Cruz Am and Board Member Ricky Martin recently asked that Ardivilla be probed to clear his name as the latter was mentioned in the affidavit of the witness in the killing of Cruz.