By MAE SINGUAY
BACOLOD City — Putting an end to rumors on the status of City Legal Office (CLO) chief Sara Villamor, Mayor Monico Puentevella on Tuesday introduced Atty. Rayfrando Diaz II as her replacement.
Diaz’s service as the new CLO chief took effect on Aug. 1, according to a certification signed by Puentevella.
Villamor wanted to return to private law practice after serving the city government for a year, said Puentevella.
Diaz said there is no more “honeymoon period” for him. “It’s time to work now. There are a lot of issues to be resolved. I have a few weeks to assess them and produce results for the city,” he stressed.
Diaz thanked the mayor for having trust and confidence in him. He said he was humbled by his appointment.
This was the second time that Diaz was offered to head the CLO; the first was during the time of Mayor (now congressman) Evelio Leonardia.
Back then, he had a “personal reason” for not accepting the offer, Diaz said. “This could be a calling for me, so I accepted the offer the second time.”
Puentevella presented Diaz before the news media yesterday at the People’s House.
His announcement finally ended rumors on Villamor’s status. The mayor, however, last week denied that Villamor will be replaced.
Villamor was recently embroiled in a conflict with CLO lawyer Cesar Beloria over the latter’s recommendation on the business permit application status of AVM Bernardo Engineering, the city slaughterhouse operator.
She claimed that Beloria bypassed her and the mayor when he gave copies of his recommendation to city government offices without their permission.
Beloria received a Notice to Explain from Villamor on July 10.
Puentevella said he will form a committee that will investigate the matter.
City Administrator Rolando Villamor, father of the former CLO chief, was chosen to be part of the committee but inhibited himself, Puentevella said.
Beloria will stay with the CLO even he is under investigation, the mayor said./PN
