By Nora Soriño
and Sita Asequia
ILIGAN City ― In a statement yesterday lawyer Leo Zaragoza confirmed his mayoral run for this city in next year’s elections He did not say who his running mate for vice mayor is nor the lineup of councilor wannabes in his ticket.
But Zaragoza added he is “willing to withdraw” should somebody come forward to run for a said position with advocacy like his which is “clean governance” as in “not corrupt” who is “not a percenter” or who does not use public funds for his own benefit.
Earlier, the lawyer told the Mindanao Gold Star Daily that his party will be known as “Partido 44” which he added, is a local party and obviously in reference to this city’s 44 barangays. Earlier too he had said that his candidacy would depend upon developments at the national level particularly in the Senator Panfilo Lacson front, adding that he is an admirer of the senator as, among others, he refuses pork barrel funds.
To recall too, Zaragoza was instrumental in having a complaint filed with the Presidential Complaint Center last year in connection with alleged “overpriced” rice and other goods using the pandemic funds of the city.
Although he was not the complainant in the said matter, he said he was willing to testify. Complainants of said case, it was learned were other lawyers like Betsy Zalzos, Moises Dalisay, Jr., Emmanuel Salibay, and several other concerned citizens who were not lawyers.
It was learned too that his complaint was sent through emails to this PCC with hard copies sent too to said center in Manila.
Zaragoza, to note too had close ties than with this present administration of city mayor Celso G. Regencia and was appointed as city administrator. It was then that he said he was able to see at close up how the transactions of the city were conducted and thus, his subsequent resignation for said position.
