‘NO ABUSE OF AUTHORITY’

By Emme Rose Santiagudo

Liga ng mga Barangay-Iloilo City President and Councilor Irene Ong clarified photos of the official vehicle of Liga which allegedly “double parked” in front of a church in Mandurriao district last Feb. 26, 2020.

According to Ong, the picture was taken at the Mandurriao Catholic Church last Ash Wednesday as they were scheduled to attend a mass for the deceased mother of Punong Barangay John Eric David of Veteran’s Village.

The councilor said that the picture may have been taken shortly after he alighted from the vehicle.

Ong said the driver then searched for a more appropriate parking space in the area packed with many devotees.

“The picture of the vehicle may have been taken shortly after I have alighted from the vehicle and just before it could proceed to a more appropriate parking space since the place was packed with many devotees at the time,” Ong said in a statement issued on Tuesday.

Ong added that in the absence of a time-stamp, the pictures do not conclusively show whether indeed it was parked at that particular place the whole time.

Ong made the statement after pictures of the official vehicle were posted in the Facebook page of Daily Guardian where it received negative reactions from netizens.

“I am deeply bothered by the pictures taken by an anonymous contributor. The caption accompanying the pictures raised a serious transgression on the part of the driver and may have implied abuse of authority on the part of the Liga office which I represent,” the councilor added.

The councilor stressed that he is against any abuse of authority in whatever form.

“Nevertheless, I wish to assure our beloved constituents and the media that I am personally against any abuse of authority in whatever form and my office will never tolerate any heedless behavior or wrongdoing of any one in my office,” Ong said.

According to Ong, the driver has already been reprimanded in following traffic rules and ordinances.

“To assure you what we take this matter seriously, I have admonished the driver regardless of whether he is in error or not and warned him to be mindful of traffic rules and regulations at all times,” the councilor noted.