Ouano-Dizon denies hand in charges vs Bercede

Local

MANDAUE City Representative Emmarie “Lolypop” Ouano-Dizon denied having a hand in the charges that have been filed against Mayor Glenn Bercede.

In denying involvement in Bercede’s legal woes, Ouano-Dizon emphasized the importance of accountability for public officials embroiled in allegations of misconduct.

Ouano-Dizon was reacting to Bercede’s remarks in a forum last week where he addressed rumors of a potential suspension and defended his actions against the ongoing allegations.

Bercede, who is facing a charge of grave misconduct filed by Mandaue residents Karina Sinda Labos and Lea May Tumulak Miñoza, argued that the complaints against him were politically motivated and aimed to damage his leadership.

According to Bercede, he had not violated the suspension order issued for former Mayor Jonas Cortes and denied accusations that he had engaged in any wrongdoing.

He also stressed his belief that the charges were fabricated by his political adversaries in order to harm his administration’s credibility.

Ouano-Dizon, however, strongly rejected claims that the cases were politically orchestrated.

“Naanad na man mi ana. Basta ma file-lan or madutlan sila og kaso, kami pasanginlan," Ouano-Dizon said, underscoring her commitment to ensuring a fair legal process is followed.

The congresswoman specifically pointed out that one of the charges against Bercede had been dismissed by the Ombudsman and that Bercede had secured a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) from the Supreme Court.

“Pero, kato na dismiss ang usa nilang kaso sa Ombudsman ug naka TRO sila sa Ombudsman ug naka TRO sila sa Supreme Court, walay hisgot. Kay it proves nga our Ombudsman and courts are fair and will only decide based on the merits,” Ouano-Dizon said, praising the impartiality of the country's legal institutions.

As for the ongoing case, Ouano-Dizon was firm in calling for public officials to face the full consequences of their actions.

She asserted that public officials should be "man enough to accept accountability," emphasizing that those accused of misconduct must be prepared to stand by their actions and face the legal consequences if found guilty.

The legal issues involving Bercede revolve around his alleged facilitation of the continued duties of Cortes, who had been suspended from office, as well as accusations of usurping authority in the signing of a “Certificate of Urgency” for a memorandum of agreement between Mandaue City and Cebu Landmasters Inc.

Despite these charges, Bercede continues to claim that they are part of a political agenda aimed at damaging his leadership.

In contrast, the legal challenges surrounding Cortes continue, with his recent dismissal for grave misconduct stemming from the unlicensed operation of a batching plant.

Cortes had previously faced a one-year suspension for illegal appointments made during his tenure.(MyTVCebu)