Mariveles, Bataan—Members of this town’s Sangguniang Bayan have lodged administrative charges against Mayor Jocelyn Castaneda at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, charging her with dishonesty, oppression, misconduct in office, gross negligence, and abuse of authority.
Vice Mayor Lito Rubia led SB Mariveles members Councilors Tito Catipon, Angel Sunga, Susan Murillo, Ronald Arcenal, Joey Carandang, Harry Golocan, Turing Isip, SK Municipal Federation President Vincent Charles Banzon, and IP Representative Manuel Pacayay in personally filing the administrative charges with the provincial board at the capitol compound in Balanga City on Wednesday.
They were accompanied by their lawyer Hospicio Laygo. The mayor had yet to issue a statement at press time.
“We wanted to sincerely work with her since the first day we all got elected despite belonging to different political parties for the sake of the people of Mariveles. We supported her with the needed legislation, but we are forced to the file these charges with her relentless attack on us,” said Rubia.
Castaneda ran under the Aksyon Demokratiko party, defeating administration bet Ace Jello Concepcion of PDP-Laban — the party of Rubia and the councilors who filed the complaint.
Based on the complaint, Castaneda allegedly practiced gross negligence or dereliction of duty when relief goods procured by the executive department were wasted due to mishandling.
The town council also alleged a delay in relief distribution due to “publicity.”
The complaint also said the mayor has been attacking political rivals or politicking using public communication facilities that should have been utilized to address the COVID-19 pandemic and other official matters.
SB members also charged the mayor for allegedly failing to give an accounting of the disbursement of the donations give to the municipality during the pandemic.
They also complained that Castaneda accused them of “selling out” their constituents in favor of a certain company.