THE Liga ng Barangay of Pangasinan was recently rocked by political intrigues as the naming of the successor to the late Jose Peralta due to COVID-19 led to conflicting claims by two groups: One for Edgardo Fontelera, Liga ng Barangay of Pangasinan vice president  (Liga president of Dasol town) and another for Jeanne Jinky Zaplan, Liga ng Barangay president of Sta. Barbara.

Fontelera, Liga ng Barangay president of Dasol town, showed newsmen on Jan. 4 in a press conference that he had taken his oath of office before Undersecretary for Barangay Affairs Martin Diño of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and was issued his oath of office on Nov. 5 last year.

Fontelera as the vice president of the provincial Liga ng Barangay, assumed leadership assumed as acting president following the death of Board Member Jose Peralta.

A board resolution was also forwarded to Diño and Eden Chua-Pineda, national president of Liga ng Barangay about Fontelera’s appointment as acting president of Liga ng Barangay In Pangasinan,

However, a special meeting was conducted and elected Zaplan on Dec. 9.

The notice of special meeting reportedly used the official mail envelope of the Office of the Governor as cover the special meeting of the officers and members of the Provincial Liga.

Fontelera said based on their Constitution and By-Laws, only the President or upon written request of a majority of members of the Chapter may call for a meeting. He added that the notices of meetings sent to all members of the Provincial Liga Chapter was not signed and was sent by the provincial Liga Secretary thereby rendering it null and void.

He said he had filed a complaint for Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act against the National Liga ng Barangay president sa Pilipinas with the Office of the Ombudsman on Dec. 15. . He said without the concurrence of the National Executive Board, Pineda issued an authority to conduct special elections for the positions of president and vice president of the provincial Liga in Pangasinan due to the death of Peralta.

Also, Fontelera said the election held on Dec. 9 was held “without the participation and supervision of the DILG as required by the Constitution and By-Laws of the Liga ng Barangay”.

He also filed on Dec. 14 a complaint with the Ombudsman against the Liga presidents of Aguilar and Mangatarem for usurpation of official function in playing special roles for the holding of the special meeting and special election.

He said he will wait for the findings and recommendations of Diño about the “illegal election of Zaplan” and he will base his next legal actions.

Fontera said he will take legal actions until the end and will fight for what is right. (Eva Visperas)

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