DAVAO CITY – Authorities have arrested on Thursday morning Councilor Sergio Batistis, Jr. of Albuera, Leyte after selling fake receipts of the Philippine Councilors League in a mall here.
Batistis, 43, and a resident of Mahayahay, Albuera is now detained after being charged with swindling through falsification of public documents.
Batistis was caught in an entrapment operation by the Davao City police possessing P103,500 reportedly paid by some councilors who he enticed to pay discounted rate for their registration fees.
In a statement to the press, PCL Executive Director Dr. Wilson Paclibar revealed that Batistis’ “irregular activities” were already reported in the previous PCL events.
“The entrapment operation in Davao was planned out few days ago to stop Batistis’ modus operandi’,” PCL Davao said.
The affidavit of complaint against Batistis was signed by Paclibar.
PCL National Chairperson Alma Moreno and PCL National President Maybelyn Fernandez said the entrapment of Batistis will send a strong signal to all PCL members nationwide that the PCL leadership is serious in cleansing its ranks and protect its image and promote good governance.
General Santos City Councilor Dominador Lagare III acted as poseur buyer upon request of Dr. Paclibar and PCL National Board Member Atty Oliver Owen Garcia at the SMX Convention Center.
Meanwhile, Moreno was also stopped by a police for violating the city’s speed limit. In a Facebook post by former mayor Sara Duterte, Moreno was reportedly travelling at 42 kilometer per hour violating the set 30 km/hr speed limit within Davao City.
Another councilor was also reportedly apprehended for violating the city’s smoking ban.
DCPO Spokesperson Police Senior Inspector Milgrace Driz said they have not yet receive the details about the violators of the anti-smoking ban and the speed limit.
Driz, however, said the councilors from other localities can refer to the city’s ordinances “as best practices”.
Netizens were also quick to praise the strict policies implemented by the police here. Some even hinted that the discipline in Davao City can also be implemented nationwide if Mayor Rodrigo Duterte wins in the elections.
Duterte however, reiterated before the PCL gathering that he is not running for president.
Davao hosts the 2nd Quarterly National Officers and National Board Meeting of the PCL until Friday. (davaotoday.com)
