Marikina City Mayor Marcy Teodoro questioned on Wednesday, August 21, the timing of the filing of technical malversation complaint against him before the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) for alleged misuse of the PhilHealth fund.
Teodoro said in his statement that they see similar tactics used against the members of Mayors for Good Governance (M4GG) ahead of the 2025 elections.
“This complaint appears to be part of a broader pattern of political harassment and smear attacks. We are seeing similar tactics used against other members of Mayors for Good Governance, including Mayor Benjie Magalong of Baguio, Mayor Jerry Treñas of Iloilo, and Mayor Vico Sotto of Pasig, who have also recently faced similar challenges,” the mayor stated.
“The complaint filed against me and other city officials coincides with the upcoming filing of candidacy for the next elections. It’s hard to ignore the timing of this, as it raises some serious questions about the motivations behind it,” he said.
The mayor said that the PhilHealth funds in question were the funds that were reimbursed during the pandemic and remain intact and fully accounted for, as confirmed by audits conducted in previous years.
“While anyone can file a complaint with the Ombudsman, we must question the integrity of those who initiated this case. The allegations made are entirely baseless and unfounded," he added.
“In the pursuit of public service, of standing up for what’s right, of governing with integrity—it is often met with resistance. But I’m calling for a fair and impartial investigation, one that lets the facts speak for themselves,” Teodoro stressed.
Meanwhile, he assured Marikeños that his commitment to good governance and to the well-being of their community will remain as strong as ever.
On the other hand, M4GG expressed its support for the mayors as it strongly denounced politically motivated attacks.
“Ang mga isinampang reklamo laban sa kanila sa Ombudsman ay pagkakataon upang lumabas ang katotohanan at malinis ang kanilang mga pangalan. Ngunit hindi natin isinasantabi na ang mga ito ay pamumulitika at panggigipit sa kanila lalo na't pumapalapit na ang Filing of Candidacies para sa Halalan 2025 (The complaints filed against them with the Ombudsman are an opportunity for the truth to come out and for their names to be cleared. However, we cannot disregard the possibility that these actions are politically motivated, especially with the filing of candidacies for the 2025 elections is approaching),” it added.
The group hopes that the investigation will be fair as it stands by its members' credibility, highlighting their proven track record as public servants.
“Bilang isang samahan na isinusulong ang mabuting pamamahala at paglaban sa katiwalian, palagi namin pinapahalagahan ang transparency at accountability. Ang tatlong alkalde ay nagpamalas at patuloy isinasabuhay ang mga prinsipyong ito (As an organization that advocates for good governance and the fight against corruption, we always value transparency and accountability. The three mayors have demonstrated and continue to uphold these principles),” M4GG added.
Sotto is facing graft complaints about his alleged failure to distribute cash allowances to Pasig City Hall employees and accusations of granting illegal discounts to a telecommunications provider.
Trenas is facing grave misconduct charges before the Office of the Ombudsman concerning the demolition of the historic Iloilo City public market.