KALIBO, Aklan – Some 104 employees of the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) in Aklan rallied behind their head Valentin Talabero as he faces an administrative charge before the Office of the Ombudsman.
The employees said the allegations contained in a complaint that Department of Interior and Local Government undersecretary Epimaco Densing III filed last month have “no basis.”
“Talabero enjoys the trust and confidence of employees of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and PENRO-Aklan,” the employees said in a manifesto dated July 2. They added, “The careless imputation of corruption against him must fail in the face of people’s faith in Talabero’s excellent public service.”
Talabero is among the 17 local officials in Aklan who were accused of being negligent in ensuring the sustainability of Boracay Island, which resulted to environmental problems, among others.
The other accused officials were Gov. Florencio Miraflores, Malay mayor Ciceron Cawaling, Malay vice mayor Abram Sualog, Sangguniang Bayan members Natalie Cawaling-Paderes, Jupiyer Gallenero, Frolibar Bautista, Lloyd Maming, Dalidig Sumandad, Maylynn Aguirre-Graf, Danilo Delos Santos, and Dante Pagsuguiron, Licensing Officer III Jen Salsona, Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Officer Edgardo Sancho, and barangay officials Hector Casidsid, Chona Gabay and Lilibeth Sacapaño.
Last week, Talabero said his camp will file countercharges against Densing, adding that the inclusion of his name in the list of the case’s respondents was “totally erroneous.”
As head of PENRO-Aklan, Talabero stressed that he is under the DENR, not the provincial government, thus not covered by the mandate of the Local Government Code of 1991.
DENR’s legal counsel Atty. Wilma Lagance said their legal team is studying Talabero’s case.
“The totally erroneous, baseless and irregular inclusion of PENRO as respondent has brought damaged to his name, career and family, and maligned his reputation as a person,” said Lagance. (With a report from Aklan Forum Journal/PN)
