Baronda slams anonymous Ombudsman complaint
Iloilo City Councilor Julienne ‘Jamjam’ Baronda challenged her detractors to come out in the open in filing charges against her. Baronda said that the filing of an anonymous complaint against her before the Office of the Ombudsman is “an act only cowards do.”
“Why would they conceal their identities by sending an anonymous letter complaint,” Baronda said.
Baronda said the anonymous complaint was “purposely done” to malign her reputation and destroy her image from the public. “If the person or persons behind these dastardly complaint believes that the case is meritorious, they should not hide under the cloak of anonymity,” she said.
The anonymous complaint was based on the report by the state auditors on the procurement of learning materials for this city’s day care centers worth P333,000, and Nebulizer sets and Nebules for this city’s health centers amounting to almost P500,000.
The Commission on Audit reported that the distribution of materials showed some deficiencies.
“The issue is a rehash. I believe that I have already answered these allegations during the committee hearings in the City Council,” she said.
Baronda said she already answered the allegations during the hearing conducted by the Committee on Good Government in the Sangguniang Panlungsod.
Baronda had reiterated that the learning materials were actually destroyed during Typhoon Frank.
She even showed pictures to prove that indeed these learning materials were destroyed by the calamity.
“Should the Ombudsman accept this anonymous complaint as formally filed, I will submit my answer together with the documents in support of my non-culpability on these false and malicious accusations against me,” Baronda stressed.
Baronda, who has filed her certificate of candidacy to run vice mayor of Iloilo City, topped a recent poll survey conducted by a prominent survey firm in the metropolis with 44.4 percent. Based on the records of the Commission on Elections, there are six candidates for vice mayor, including Baronda.
Baronda claimed that the anonymous letter complaint might also be politically motivated.
