The Sangguniang Bayan (SB) of Ubay has declared Kevin Damalerio, an executive assistant to Governor Art Yap, unwanted and unwelcome in the town for issuing statements which the council deemed to be false and seen to have shamed the municipality, an official said.
Ubay Vice Mayor Victor Bongahoy said that all members of the nine-member council, except one who was absent, passed the resolution labelling Damalerio persona non grata with no objections during their regular session on Wednesday.
Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) president ex-officio SB Member Nador Vallecer sponsored the resolution.
According to Bongahoy, the resolution was passed due to Damalerio’s statements which accused the Ubay government of mishandling relief goods donated by the Capitol which the Ubay officials have repeatedly denied.
“Tungod ni sa daghan niyang pagpangdaot sa lungsod sa Ubay ilabina sa paghatag og mga fake news, kana mao gyud nay pinaka-importante,” said Bongahoy.
“Sa akong opinion, angayan gyud kay abot sa nagkalain-laing nasud, dili kay Pilipinas ray naka basa adto iyang gipanulti,” he added.
The Chronicle tried to get the side of Damalerio but he could not be reached as of press time.
In a statement posted on Facebook on January 12, Damalerio alleged that the local government unit (LGU) of Ubay merely stored relief goods from the provincial government but did not distribute these.
Damalerio, along with the statement, posted photos and videos of the alleged relief goods from the Capitol which were stored in a town-owned facility.
He also alleged that it was a “congressman” who directed town authorities not to accept food aid from the provincial government which were damaged after these were drenched in rainwater.
Although Damalerio did not name the lawmaker, it was apparent that he was referring to Rep. Aris Aumentado whose jurisdiction includes Ubay and who is challenging Yap for the gubernatorial seat in the May polls.
Not Capitol relief goods
The allegations were both denied by Aumentado and the Ubay LGU.
Ubay information officer Larry Evangelista said that the rice sacks which Damalerio was referring to were not from the provincial government.
He said that these were from the Quezon, Bukidnon LGU and some of which were already wet during transit before these were received by the Ubay LGU at the port of Loay.
“Naa tay video na magpamatuod na dawat na nato didto sa Municipality of Loay. Imbis na sa Jagna mo dunggo, tungod sa kakusog sa bawod na divert ang gamayng barko padung sa Loay,” said Evangelista.
The LGU tried to determine if some of the wet rice sacks could still be distributed to the public but the town’s nutrition officer decided against this since they could no longer identify which were not drenched in seawater as some may have already dried up.
“Gisuwayan og save pero wala mo sugot among Municipal Nutrition Action Officer kay tubig sa dagat maoy nakabasa adto unya wala ta kahibaw pila ka hours na, so ang safety sa atong katawhan ang iyang gihuna-huna,” he added. (A. Doydora with a report from R. Tutas)