By Felipe V. Celino
ROXAS CITY, Capiz — The Office of the Ombudsman junked the oppression and grave misconduct charges filed against the mayor of President Roxas, Capiz for lack of merit.
The complaint filed by former President Roxas Vice Mayor Alfonso Golero failed to establish that there was malice and bad faith when incumbent Mayor Reliste “Tanoy” Escolin cut the Indian trees in the public plaza of their town.
Golero alleged that Escolin ordered the cutting of all Indian trees in the town’s plaza without the approval of the town’s council as mandated by Presidential Decree 953 and without license as required by Presidential Decree 705.
He stressed that these trees were planted 20 years ago as part of the Clean and Green program of the municipality.
Escolin denied the charges claiming that the Indian trees were not cut but were pruned or trimmed to enhance their aesthetic value.
Escolin also cited Section 2 of Republic Act 3571 which mandates the director of Parks and Wildlife to create a committee who will supervise the cutting of planted and growing trees in plazas. The director, however, allegedly failed to form such committee.
According to Escolin, pruning and trimming trees is one of his responsibilities as the local government head.
In a five-page joint resolution issued on February 18, 2020, the Ombudsman said the complainant failed to establish malice and bad faith.
“The respondent still has the authority to order the cutting of the trees under the general welfare clause”, the Ombudsman said adding that Indian tree is also neither timber nor a forest product. Hence, a license is not required as mandated under Presidential Decree 705.
The case is one of the 18 charges filed by Golero against Escolin since the latter assumed as mayor of President Roxas in 2016.
Escolin has called all the charges against him as politically motivated as the former vice mayor could not accept that they lost in the elections.
