MANKAYAN, Benguet – Mayor Frenzel A. Ayong called on his detractors not to use his contracting the dreaded Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) virus to advance their own personal and political interests when it is still too early to talk about politics because what is need is for everyone to work to find the appropriate solutions in addressing the prevailing issues and concerns of the people that were heavily impacted by the ongoing pandemic.
Ayong, who recently recovered from the deadly virus after being hospitalized, was saddened after learning that there were some individuals with political ambitions in the municipality who had been going around the various barangays and spreading false information in his health status.
The local chief executive recently tested negative of the virus as per the results of his latest reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test that was required of him.
Further, information also reached him that there were some people who had also been prodding his supporters to start preparing for whatever will be the scenario as his condition had worsened while being confined in the hospital.
However, Mayor Ayong stated that it is improper to use the health condition of a public official to advance the personal and political interests of some individuals because he had been transparent about his condition that is why he immediately took a leave to be able to complete his prescribed 14-day quarantine and designated Vice Mayor Joseph Denver Tongngacan to temporarily oversee the affairs of the local government so as not to interrupt the delivery of basic services and the regular transactions in the different copies.
According to him, there are more important matters to be given attention by local officials, especially during the prevailing difficult times where people have to get their acts together and work for the welfare of people that had been heavily impacted by the pandemic but it is just unfortunate that there are individuals who have done nothing but to take advantage of the situation in trying to spread false information against them just to advance their interests.
Worst, he claimed that the said individuals even went to the extent of gathering people and serving liquor just to be able to tell fabricated stories where the same is in gross violation of existing community quarantine rules, particularly the prohibition of mass gatherings and serving of alcoholic beverages.
“It is not a joke to contract the deadly virus because you will be left alone to undergo isolation. I did not go on isolation to evade my duties and responsibilities but the same was pursuant to existing health and safety protocols to avoid spreading the virus to my family members, relatives and friends. I hope that what happened to me will not happen to my fellow local officials because it is already unfair to be accused of abandoning out duties and responsibilities,” Mayor Ayong stressed.
He expressed his gratitude to honest and dedicated citizens of the municipality for bringing to his attention the obviously politically motivated actuations of some individuals in the municipality because they opted to assassinate his character instead of coming out in the open to help those that have been impacted by the pandemic for them to start recovering from the effects of the pandemic. By HENT