Marikina clans, mayors’ group back suspended Marikina City mayor
Marikina Mayor Marcelino Teodoro. —File photo from Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines — Groups representing various clans in Marikina City on Wednesday expressed support for Marikina City Mayor Marcelino “Marcy” Teodoro, despite his suspension by the Office of the Ombudsman.
In a statement, the “Samahan ng mga Angkan sa Marikina” denounced what it called “dirty politics,” employed by Teodoro’s opponents against him, including the filing of what they claim to be baseless charges against him.
This came after Teodoro was slapped with a six-month preventive suspension by the Office of the Ombudsman over serious allegations involving the questionable use of P130 million in PhilHealth funds.
READ: Ombudsman suspends Marikina City mayor, other city officials
“Ramdam na ramdam naming ang kalungkutan sa ating paligid. Ramdam na ramdan din namin ang galit ng taong bayan sa maruming uri ng pamumulitika ng mga kalaban,” the group’s president Roan Santos said.
(We can feel the sadness around us. We can also feel the anger of the people at the dirty politics of opponents.)
“Tinatanong namin ang aming mga sarili kung bakit ganito ang sinapit ng baying aming sinilangan at kinalakihan o piniling maging tahanan sa loob na ng mahabang panahon,” he added.
(We ask ourselves why this happened to the city we were born and raised in or chose to call home for so long.)
He then called on other clans and fellow Marikina residents to support Teodoro, especially amid the upcoming local elections in May.
Meanwhile, in a separate statement, the Mayors for Good Governance (M4GG) called for a fair and transparent hearing process regarding Teodoro’s suspension.
“Nananawagan ang Mayors for Good Governance para sa isang makatarungan at malinaw na proseso ng pagdinig ukol sa anim na buwang suspension na ipinataw ng Ombudsman kay Marikina Mayor Marcy Teodoro,” M4GG said.
(Mayors for Good Governance calls for a fair and transparent hearing process regarding the six-month suspension imposed by the Ombudsman on Marikina Mayor Marcy Teodoro.)
The groups also made their call after the Commission on Elections (Comelec) First Division canceled the certificate of candidacy of Teodoro, ruling that he failed to satisfy the one-year residency requirement for the congressional district he seeks to represent in the House of Representatives.
However, the Comelec opted to retain Teodoro’s name in the ballot amid his motions appealing the decision.
READ:
Teodoro is gunning for a seat in the House of Representatives and is up against Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III.
