Resign or get sued treñas dangles illegal campaigning raps vs some city hall workers

By: Emme Rose Santiagudo

Iloilo City mayor-elect and lone district Rep. Jerry Treñas warned several department heads and other employees at the City Hall to resign or face criminal and administrative charges.

In a radio interview on Saturday morning, Treñas said he will give the concerned employees time to file their resignation otherwise he will sue them for alleged illegal campaigning.

Treñas referred to City Hall employees who are allies of his brother-in-law and outgoing Mayor Jose Espinosa III:

• Jojo Castro, Sports Development Officer V;
• Moises Salomon, Sports Development Officer III;
• Phil Barcelona, officer-in-charge of Barangay Affairs;
• Felix Muchada, Executive Assistant for Security;
• Dr. Bernard Caspe, City Health Office head;
• Engr. Bobby Dumanil, Task Force Anti-Squatting and Illegal Structures (ASIS) head;
• Engr. Bobby Divinagracia, City Engineers Office (CEO) head;
• Jason Gregorio, Local Youth Development Office (LYDO) head;
• Juncae Manikan, Local Civil Registrar head; and
• Eireen Manikan, assitant tourism officer.

Treñas also named Retired Police Major Dionisio Duco, Vincent Dela Cruz, Piper Billones, Melvin Sorongon, and Jun Carl Espinosa Maderable.

Prior to the radio interview, Treñas expressed his plans to sue some city officials and workers during his visit to the City Hall on Thursday.

“You know, I don’t want to actually say it. But they have the chance to exit gracefully. Otherwise, we will be filing cases for immorality, graft and corruption and electioneering. They know who they are,” he said.

Meanwhile, Espinosa said he did not ask any city official, particularly department heads, to campaign for him during the elections.

“It is his call, but these people will be covered by Civil Service Rules. Biskan sin-o pa da pamangkuton niyo, I did not ask anyone to campaign for me. The department heads wala ko gid ginhambalan mangampanya. They were just doing their jobs,” he said in previous interviews.

Treñas also named some of his allies in his past administration who will join him in his fresh term starting June 30, 2019.

He named Melchor Tan as city administrator; Butch Panaguiton, assistant city administrator; Jonas Bellosillo, chief of staff; Atty. Edgar Gil, city legal officer; Atty. Quintin Magsico, assistant legal officer; Francis Te, Senior Executive Assistant; Mitch Antiqueña, building administrator; and Roy Firmeza, Iloilo City Urban Poor Affairs Office (ICUPAO) head.

As executive assistants, Treñas named Efren Paredes for barangay affairs, Rudiver Jungco for sports, Benito Jimena for tourism, Katherine Tingson for revenue generation, Salvador Sarabia Jr. for (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions) MICE promotions, Dr. Sandra Gomez as liaison for the private sector, and Charlie Hofelina and Arman Dayrit for environment.