GARIN and Baronda
ILOILO CITY — Iloilo first district Rep. Janette Loreto-Garin and Iloilo City Rep. Julienne “Jamjam” Baronda denied receiving kickbacks allegedly delivered by 18 former Marines.
“Fake news again. It is clearly fabricated and baseless,” said Garin in a statement on Thursday, Feb. 25.
“I choose not to engage in falsehoods and will instead pray for truth and fairness to prevail,” Baronda said in a separate statement.
The two lady lawmakers were among the three incumbent Iloilo congressmen included in the affidavits of the former soldiers and released by lawyer Levi Baligod.
The other is Rep. James “Jojo” Ang Jr. of Uswag Ilonggo party-list.
Garin said that the allegations are laughable and impossible. She said she does not own a townhouse as stated by the ex-Marines in their affidavits.
Baronda noted that her name was never listed in any investigation on allegedly anomalous flood projects, including those conducted by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI).
Without naming names, Baronda alluded to the Dutertes for her inclusion in the list.
“The only reason I can think of is my association with a local personality who was somewhat critical of the previous administration and who is helping me navigate local politics,” Baronda said.
Baronda has political ties to former Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog who former President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to be killed for allegedly being a narco-politician.