NAGA City Mayor Jesse M. Robredo appeared before the Court of Appeals last June 15 to reiterate his charge that the decision by RTC Judge Felimon B. Montenegro ordering the city government of Naga to vacate the premises it presently occupies was “highly irregular” and “questionable.”.

        Appearing for the administrative complaint he filed against Montenegro, Robredo told the Court of Appeals that the judge’s decision was issued after he received verifiable information “indicating that respondent Judge Montenegro was involved in anomalies which led to the issuance of Montenegro’s June 20, 2005 decision in Civil Case No. RTC 2005-0030.”

        The administrative complaint stemmed from the ejectment case filed by the heirs of Jose and Helen Mariano where Judge Montenegro on June 20, 2005 ordered the Naga City government, the Hall of Justice, and other government instrumentalities and agencies to vacate the 5-hectare property on which these offices stand. They were also ordered to surrender and deliver its physical possession, including government buildings and structures erected thereon, as they were also forfeited in favor of the Mariano heirs represented by Danilo David S. Mariano.

        The complaint was filed after the city mayor was informed by Bgy. Kagawad Joshua Calleja quoting a certain Ricardo Mejorado that barely two months before the handing down of the controversial decision, Montenegro and Danilo David Mariano met in a private resort in Sto. Domingo, Albay.

        Robredo further told the Court of Appeals which was presided over by Judge Regalado Maambong that it was during the pendency of his administrative case against Montenegro that the Supreme Court en banc has yet to reconsider the information that Ricardo Mejorado had contacted him (the city mayor) through a letter sent to him from Butuan City for a revealing information.

        Robredo met Mejorado in Butuan City on December 2, 2005 where the latter voluntarily disclosed and executed a sworn statement on what transpired during the meeting that took place between Montenegro and the young Mariano at Costa Palmera Resort in Sto. Domingo, Albay last April 2005.

        According to Robredo, Mejorado further testified that respondent Judge Montenegro and Danilo David Mariano discussed the ejectment case and the case would be decided in favor of the Marianos.

        Mejorado’s sworn statement was executed before Butuan City Prosecutor/Deputized Ombudsman Felixberto L. Guiritan.

        City legal officer Nelson Legacion stood as counsel for Robredo while lawyer Adan Botor served as counsel for Montenegro in the administrative complaint.