ILIGAN City ― Hearing him talk about that Feb. 11 promulgation of the Sandiganbayan Seventh Division, one could sense that the good mayor Celso G. Regencia had mellowed.
There was no more of that well, arrogant-sounding talk. Like, “if I see him, I will cut off his hands!” Or, “If I see him, I will kill him!” Or, “why did he lose the last elections. Because of the money was given to you? Now, I will prepare P30,000 for each voter!”
The cutting of the hands talks referred to then councilor, the late Atty. Alfredo Busico. The “kill” talk referred to then-congressman Vicente Belmonte, Jr. of which CGR was then accused of “masterminding” an ambush with the target surviving. The election loser refers to Col. Leony Roy Ga who had then lost in the 2019 elections to Cong. Frederick Siao and now the subject of daily word “attacks” on-air by hacks paid by the city.
CGR said, on his way back to the city, maybe from Manila as he said he traveled by land and he was in Matnog, that he will fight the “guilty” verdict “in accordance with the law.” The crime, “usurpation of authority” is a criminal one, it was learned and bailable.
He was dismayed, he said. For the complaint “is only four years old” while there are complaints (against the opposition) which “are already 7 years old” but there's no action on them yet.
To recall, the particular verdict is a “criminal” one, “usurpation of authority” although then-Vice Mayor Ruderic Marzo was instrumental in bringing about that one. So it was Regencia versus “The People of the Philippines,” per the declaration of Atty. Moises Dalisay, a lawyer leaning towards the opposition here.
This was because CGR functioned as mayor even when detained in a jail facility in connection with the ambush of Belmonte on Dec. 11, 2014.
So, during that time, per Dalisay’s analysis, Marzo was caught in a bind. He “could not act as mayor” for there was a jailbird who was still acting as mayor.
He could not function as Vice Mayor too, because by doing so, he would be hit “by a technicality.” That is, it would be tantamount to “admission” that CGR was “right” because he (Marzo) had functioned as Vice Mayor.
In street parlance, “nababoy!”
He is “not disqualified” to run in an elective position this coming election, CGR said. And by Tuesday of this week, he would return to city hall. Although, by the way, his office is not at the city hall grounds, but somewhere else, but that's another story.
He said he was doing that (functioning as mayor even in jail) because there were plenty of ghosts, I mean “ghost casuals” 3,000 of them, according to who else, but CGR.
Several “casuals” then upon hearing the guilty verdict felt vindicated. Marvin, a casual then said that he was “not a ghost” as he is flesh and blood and worked really.
And anyway too by requiring those under to have their appointments signed by the mayor meant that the latter “does not know the law” That the VM Marzo is “legislative” while CGR is executive, so,..well that’s another area to talk about!
So, shall we say, so long… in the meantime?
(Email: norasorino2@gmail.com)
