LINGAYEN—The vice mayor and eight councilors of Binmaley town, who filed counter charges against each other before the provincial board, have decided to withdraw their respective complaints and settled their differences.

Vice Mayor Pedro Merrera III, however, stressed that he wants “genuine reconciliation” and is waiting for the councilors to approach him to discuss it.

Merrera reiterated that he wants “correct procedures to be followed” in line with the national government’s “tuwid na landas” thrust.

Sixth district Board Member Alfonso Bince Jr, chairman of the Committee on Good Government and Accountability of Public Officers Committee that hears administrative cases filed at the provincial board, said the vice mayor, who was warring with the councilors “agreed to reconcile and they will submit their manifestation of reconciliation and settlement”.

Bince said the manifestations are supposed to be submitted by January 18, the next scheduled hearing, but he will wait and see if indeed the parties involved are indeed ready to reconcile, noting that Merrera seems keen to settle.

He also encouraged Merrera to drop the similar administrative case he filed before the Office of the Ombudsman against councilors.

The councilors involved are: Harmielyn Cerezo, Jose Carrera, Ellen Alipio, Urbano de los Angeles, Jocelyn Bautista, Franco Francisco, Vismark Valerio and Jesus Aquino.

The counter charges were over the two sessions conducted by the municipal council last August 18 on the granting of authority to the mayor for a P55-million bank loan for municipal projects.

The first session was adjourned without the resolution being approved as Merrera, chair of the council, insisted that the necessary documents backing the loan have not been complied with.

Immediately after the adjournment, the councilors called for another session and passed the resolution. —Eva Visperas

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