Government officials should not be too sensitive when at the receiving end of criticisms, Second District Rep. Aris Aumentado said Monday following Governor Art Yap’s filing of an inciting to sedition complaint against Bohol Chronicle Radio Corp. chairman Peter Dejaresco, former Tagbilaran City Mayor Dan Lim and businessman Willy Ramasola.
Aumentado, in an interview over station dyRD’s Inyong Alagad Program, said criticisms help improve governance and should be considered as guide in addressing the public’s concerns.
“Ang criticism, basta constructive, importante isip feedback mechanism aron matubag kung unsay reklamo sa katawhan,” Aumentado said.
According to Aumentado, he himself has been getting criticisms but chose to address these without being “onion-skinned.”
“Angay nato hinumduman na ang usa ka public official, natural gyud na naay mo saway nato. Naay mo kritiko ako bitaw naa man puy mga tig panaway nako below the belt gani na mura’g naka-minus na atong lang gipaminaw og naa bay basehan, naay uban na atong gitubag naa puy dili kinahanglan tubagon dili lang gyud ko magbalat sibuyas,” he said.
Yap has accused Lim, Dejaresco and Ramasola of conspiring to take down his government. He filed an inciting to sedition complaint against the three before the Makati City Prosecutor’s Office last month.
Dejaresco downplayed Yap’s allegations as “harassment” and a move intended to silence media, particularly BCRC’s twin media outfits, The Bohol Chronicle and station dyRD which have both exposed alleged anomalies at the Capitol.
He denied having communicated with both Lim and Ramosala and noted that the three of them will be filing separate counter affidavits before the Makati prosecutor within the month.
Meanwhile, Ramasola is a known staunch critic of Yap but has also denied having any form of communication with Dejaresco.
Ramasola, in a statement, said he was willing to state under oath that he has not connived with Dejaresco and to waive his right to privacy allowing authorities to check his emails and phone logs.
Yap had also previously filed a cyberlibel complaint against Ramasola for his comments against the governor through Facebook.