Iloilo barangay chief in trouble over ‘indecent’ text message to clerk

A barangay captain of Leganes town in Iloilo is now in hot water for allegedly sending an "indecent" text message to a barangay association clerk last year.

Barangay Gua-an captain Rodolfo Hubero Jr. faces administrative and criminal charges for the incident, GMA Iloilo's Enrico Surita Jr. reported Friday.

The charges lodged by former Association of Barangays clerk Rosa Chavez include:

GMA Iloilo is still trying to get the side of Hubero.

Chavez, who started working as clerk at the association in 2011, was terminated last October after she had a confrontation with Hubero.

"(Sabi niya sa text), 'Matagal na kitang gustong yayain kaya lang iba yung gusto mo. Gusto kitang dalhin Rose sa ano...' Pagbasa ko noon, tila uminit yung ulo ko agad sinabihan ko siya na Kap, respeto naman dahil hindi ako **** na babae," she told GMA Iloilo.

She said she then confronted Hubero, who insisted the text message was in jest.

"Nagkasagutan kaming dalawa dahil pina-explain ko siya kung bakit tinext niya ako ng nakakabastos dahil ni minsan hindi naman ako nakikipagbiruan sa kanya. Sabi niya sa akin, biro niya lang at bakit ko raw sineryoso talaga. Tinanong ko siya ... 'sino ang nagbigay sa kanya ng right na biruhin ako ng ganyan dahil hindi naman ako nakikipagbiruan sayo?'" she said.

Chavez said she told Hubero that during her stint as clerk, none of the barangay captains she dealt with had ever addressed her that way.

She said Hubero then told her "napakasuplada mo." She said she then replied to his text message, "parang hindi ka honorable."

Also, she said she would report him to the Department of Interior and Local Government if he did it again.

"Kung uulitin mo pa, ipa-DILG kita," she said.

But after the confrontation, the Liga ng mga Barangay in Leganes voted to terminate Chavez's services – based on a complaint by Hubero.

Chavez said she sought a legal opinion and coordinated with the Office of the Ombudsman, saying she was denied due process.

She also said she was ousted from her job without warning.

"Humingi ako ng legal opinion tapos nag-coordinate sa Ombudsman kung ano ang pwede kong gawing action dahil kahit sino lang ang nagsasabi, walang due process. Pinaalis ka lang ng walang warning, walang suspension, termination agad. Tila hindi naman yan makatarungan," she said.

For now, the Ombudsman Cebu has left to the Leganes council the administrative case against Hubero. The criminal case is with the prosecutor's office.

In the meantime, Hubero continues to discharge his functions as barangay captain. — Joel Locsin/LBG, GMA News