Lapu mayor plays down Ombud case

LAPU–LAPU City Mayor Paz Radaza belittled the case filed against her in the Ombudsman as nothing but a media stunt.

Radaza said solid waste waste management is a serious endeavor. “It is not addressed by going to the Ombudsman and distribute press releases,” she said.

Businessman Efrain “Jun” Pelaez called a press conference last July 31 to announce his filing of a case against Radaza and 29 other barangay officials for their alleged failure to implement the Ecological Solid Waste Management Law (RA 9003.)

Radaza said they checked with the Ombudsman – Visayas office only to learn the case was filed last Tuesday or four days after the press conference.

“Sa ako tan-aw nag posing-posing ra gyud to si Pelaez sa Ombudsman atong Biernes sa buntag to make it appear that he have filed a case against his political enemies.” said Radaza.

(I think Peleaz was only playing it up to the media about his case against his political enemies in the Ombudsman last Friday morning.)

Radaza added, that when Pelaez spared the most vocal opposition barangay captain from his affidavit complaint on alleged violations of the solid waste management law, he sent a clear message to the Oponganons that he is now ready to play politics again after his defeat in the 2010 mayoralty race.

According to the Mayor, records would show that the Basak barangay captain Isabelo Darnayla is among the top most solid waste violator in the city with 95 citation tickets for the violation of the Solid Waste Management Act.

She, however, clarified that as far as managing the city’s garbage, it does not matter to her if a barangay official is an ally or not.

In fact, she said, the top solid waste management violator is Pusok barangay captain Tranquilino Omolon, who is her supporter.

Omolon has 104 citation tickets, he also struggles of apprehending his constituents who stocks garbage beside the streets, said the mayor who talked with Omolon regarding his violations.

She further said that they have made a lot of gains in the solid waste management front. She was proud that they have the only working Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in the country and the other MRF they are building in Olango is set to start operations.