ILOILO – Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. formed a fact-finding committee to investigate Facebook posts by Provincial Public Information and Community Affairs Office (PICAO) head Jose Nereo Lujan.
The posts in question pertained to Iloilo City’s Mayor Jerry Treñas.
However, the fact-finding committee is temporarily on hold as they await recommendations from the Civil Service Commission (CSC) Region 6.
Atty. Dennis Ventilacion, head of the Provincial Legal Office, said the CSC might either take over the investigation or allow the provincial government to proceed, depending on its assessment of the situation.
As the governor ordered, the committee’s probe would determine if the Facebook posts constituted misconduct or conduct prejudicial to the best interest of service, or may have violated the Civil Service Commission’s 2017 Rules on Administrative Cases.
On May 21, Treñas filed a complaint for cyber libel against Lujan before the Iloilo City Prosecutor’s Office.
In Executive Order No. 151 establishing the committee, Defensor designated Atty. Mae Therese Albacete of the Provincial Legal Office as chair.
The committee also includes Maribel Fabales from the Human Resource Management and Development Office and Atty. Lingelu Pedregosa from the General Services Office.
According to Ventilacion, this action followed a show cause order issued by Defensor on May 23, 2024, which required Lujan to respond to the allegations within three days.
Lujan submitted a written response on May 28, 2024. Following this, on May 29, the Provincial Legal Office recommended the formation of the investigative committee.
The controversy between Treñas and Lujan escalated following the Iloilo City Government’s decision to demolish the old façade of Iloilo City’s historic Central Public Market for redevelopment, which Lujan contested.
Lujan subsequently filed administrative charges against Treñas at the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas. The charges included grave misconduct, abuse of authority, and conduct unbecoming.
According to Lujan, the demolition was without clearance from the National Historical Commission of the Philippines.
He asked the Ombudsman to place Treñas under preventive suspension while the investigation is ongoing./PN
