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HomeLocal NewsTranscript of Bacolod City Mayor Albee Benitez's statement on claims of Negros...

Transcript of Bacolod City Mayor Albee Benitez’s statement on claims of Negros Oriental Third District Representative Arnolfo Teves Jr

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You know, let’s put it this way. I am actually bounded already by, uh, certain, uh, laws. Uh, the Terrorism Financing, Preventive and Suppression Act ah, of 2012 specifies that any person, association, company, et cetera, uh, directly or indirectly, with, uh, a designated terrorist, will be subject to certain penalties.

And, in fact, the penalties even goes as far as reclusion ah, perpetua. So this is just an
ordinary, uh, uh, dealings that we can just answer based on what, uh, is being printed or what is being asked. Uh, in fact, uh, I also called (Justice) Secretary, uh, Boying Remulia yesterday and asked, uh, him certain parameters on how to go about it.

And he mentioned that it’s better that, uh, we address this in a proper forum. Uh, as of now, I have heard among, uh, allegations of certain, uh, business dealings. But as of now, I have no paper or any document that specifies or even indicates any association.

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But if he says there is, then that is something that I discussed with Secretary Boying,
and we’ll take it up with him.

It’s the proper authorities that should be able to handle this.

Lain na eh, this is already in a different situation. Uh, the circumstances are different. Uh, this is not anymore.

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Just like we were together from 2013 to 2016 in Congress, he was a member of the Visayan block, and was a very active member, as a matter of fact. But now the circumstances are different. There are certain things that must be abide, and I am the first person that will never, uh, break the law.

Reporter: But Mayor, how’s your relationship with him before?

Well, as I’ve said, 2013 to 2016, we were together. In fact, it was the brother who was the first one who, uh, entered, uh, visayan block as early as 2012 or 2011. Uh, during our first terms, Congress, uh, we were colleagues.

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Uh, well, heartbreaking for me to really see this kind of situation, but that’s there are things that we should abide by and we cannot do without. And that is something that, uh, uh, as a matter of principle, as a matter of being a public servant, that I will never exchange even bend for anyone.

Reporter: Mayor, he said that you owe him money and that you should be included in the anti terror law because of Bingo.

That’s the point. Right? Okay. Uh, uh, there is no documentation that I see that has his name or any paper, uh, that will link us there. So let him say that, as I’ve said, then we’ll bring it to the proper forum. And if need be, it needs to be confiscated, by all means. Right.

So, as far as I’m concerned, okay, there are laws guiding this kind of situation, and that’s what I will stick to. Of course, all of these are already subject, uh, to rules. Uh, it’s just the
proper forum.

Earthland rules, as I’ve said, it will be elevated to the forum. So I’ll be guided by how it should be, uh, acted upon based on it’s no joke. Uh, if you read our, uh, terrorism and, uh, Financing Preventive and Suppression Law of 2012 hindi lango-lango that is a serious, uh, law that governs us all right?

I will not even dwell on those kind of, uh, uh, questions, because as far as I’m
concerned, it’s really, uh, up to the proper authorities to be handling all of this.

Uh, I am here to abide by all of the conditions stipulated sato in the Malay, and I will cooperate 100% with all of them.

Reporter: Will you enjoin him, Mayor, to come home and face his accusers squarely?

Well, yes, I think, uh, it is his best option. He may think otherwise, or he will probably say his security is not guaranteed. Uh, but I don’t think that’s the case.

La Ina Paglantawa in fact, I think one of the discussions I had with the brother, uh, what if he surrenders custody to somebody that he feels safe? Um, uh, was Iglesia ni Cristo which is really la pa to siya because he helped them out before.

You can surrender there. But at this point, running away from it, from the laws, as I said, we will not anymore dwell on those. Uh, so you have heard them.

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Julius D. Mariveles
Julius D. Mariveles
An amateur cook who has a mean version of humba, the author has recently tried to make mole negra, the Mexican sauce he learned by watching shows of master chef Rick Bayless. A journalist since 19, he has worked in the newsrooms of radio, local papers, and Manila-based news organizations. A stroke survivor, he now serves as executive editor of DNX.
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