ILOILO CITY – Gov. Rhodora “Dodod” Cadiao of Antique province urged non-partisan unity after she was recently indicted by the Sandiganbayan for allegedly violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
“This is not time for partisan politics as the next election is too far away and let us not go down to the level of mud-slingers and character assassins,” Cadiao said.
Cadiao was charged after a complaint was filed by Antonio dela Vega, chief of Antique Provincial General Services Office, who accused her of refusing to pay him P1.6 million in salary and benefits from 2016 to 2018.
She posted bail on June 9 while in Kidawapan City after a warrant of arrest was issued by Associate Justice Maria Theresa Dolores Gomez-Estoesta of the Sandiganbayan 7th Division.
Cadiao said she was “safeguarding and protecting the provincial coffers from illegal expenditures.”
The lady governor said the legal challenges she is facing is not going to deter her governance in bringing growth and development to Antique, which was previously ranked as one of the country’s poorest provinces.
“We must not cease in pushing Antique onward and forward, which I believe is the unspoken desire of the Antiqueños,” Cadiao said. “We all have a common dream to make our province better place,” Cadiao added.
Aside from the Sandiganbayan indictment, the Office of the Ombudsman also ordered Cadiao to pay a fine equivalent to her one-year salary as she was found guilty of oppressing Dela Vega when she reassigned him to the field office in far-flung Culasi town.