ILOILO City – City Health Office (CHO) chief Dr. Bernard Caspe has asked the Office of the Ombudsman to place Mayor Jerry Treñas and City Administrator Melchor Tan under preventive suspension while it investigates the charges he filed against them.
In his Sept. 20 complaint, Caspe claimed Treñas and Tan pressured him to resign and made “threats of baseless cases and a miserable life” at city hall.
His specific complaints were for grave misconduct, oppression, conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, grave coercion, violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.
According to Caspe, Treñas suspected him of campaigning for then mayor Jose Espinosa III in the May midterm elections.
He did no such campaigning, stressed Caspe, the CHO chief since July 2016 under the administration of then mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog.
Treñas yesterday refused to comment on the complaint. He tersely told journalists: “(City) Legal (Office) na lang na ‘ya maatipan.”
According to Caspe, twice he was informed through Dr. Annabelle Tang – a CHO medical officer and relative of the mayor – that Treñas was mad at him and wanted him out of the city government.
The first was on May 14 a day after the elections and the second on May 21, he said.
He was told, said Caspe, that he would be facing lots of charges if he won’t resign.
“I explained to Dr. Tang that I did not campaign for Joe III Espinosa. She told me to think over the instruction of Mayor Treñas,” said Caspe. “I told her I cannot simply resign because my kids are still small and need financial support.”
Twice he was also told by Tan to resign, said Caspe, the first was on July 4 and the second on July 12.
“Melchor Tan told me it is the mayor’s instruction that I will be out of the Iloilo City Hall by all means, thus, it is best for me to resign otherwise my life will become miserable,” read part of Caspe’s Ombudsman complaint.
Caspe said he felt oppressed.
“I have never committed any wrongdoing,” he stressed.
The CHO chief said Tan further told him he would be facing many charges.
“Remember, Treñas is the mayor and this is our time. You resign if you don’t want your life to be a hell,” Caspe recalled Tan telling him.
He was given another option, said Caspe – to go on leave for six months.
The doctor said he refused to “leave my office because of the dengue crisis.”
Caspe said he also told Tan he was willing to prove to Treñas “that he could trust me as a public servant.”
Tan allegedly replied, “Okay, if that is your decision. I will inform JPT of it. Be prepared for the consequences of your decision.”
Caspe said he was removed from vital special bodies and replaced by Dr. Tang.
“I physically exist at city hall but disregarded. I am receiving no respect but insults,” he lamented.
In a press conference yesterday morning, Caspe further said Tang was acting and signing documents as CHO officer in charge.
“Paano sia mag-OIC kay ari ko gapungko?” said Caspe./PN
