The older sister of the embattled son of a Victorias City councilor yesterday scored mayoralty aspirant Javi Benitez for his outright denial that he ordered her sibling to kneel and kiss his hand in full view of a provincial board member and other local officials.
“Mr. Benitez, we highly respect you until the very bad behavior you showed by ordering my brother to kneel and kiss your hand. Do not lie by saying that the harrowing episode did not take place. You are running for public office. This is not a showbiz matter,” said Joy Adorio-Fuentebella, older sister of Pacifico “Jun” Adorio III, in reaction to Benitez’s statement that no such incident happened and that he did not summon him to explain why he liked a Facebook post of a certain Alberto Lacson.
Instead of telling the truth, she said, it is lamentable that Benitez was turning the tables on her brother, saying that it was Jun who asked to see him for an appointment.
Fuentebella said they are collating evidence that can bely Benitez’s denial on his FB post.
“We have several evidence including text messages from an official of Benitez’s campaign instructing my brother Jun that Javi wants to meet him at the BBB Arcade coffee shop. There were text message exchanges with another city official and private conversations. We are fortunate that we did not delete them so he should stop telling lies,” Fuentebella added.
In due time, and at the proper forum, she continued, “we will share these materials to the public through the media so that the people, especially the Victoriahanons, will know who is saying the truth.”
She also revealed that Benitez himself had called her husband several times to help mediate and relay the message that “Javi wants to talk to Jun before the situation further deteriorates.”
The calls made by Javi to his brother-in-law was confirmed by Jun himself during a Wednesday presscon at the Lions Park in Bacolod City.
But Adorio told reporters that Javi’s efforts were an exercise in futility as he had already done so much sufferings by crushing his person.
“It’s non-negotiable. He should be made accountable for what he did to me. He should stop telling lies if nothing truthful comes out of his mouth,” Adorio said, adding that even his mother was trying to convince him to again have an audience with the mayoralty bet.
“But I refused,” he said.
When asked for a reaction on the presscon of their mother, re-electionist Virginia Adorio last Thursday, both Jun and Joy said that they respect her decision to stay in the slate of Benitez.
It is very sad to note, however, the stress she is currently going through at her age, Joy said, adding that Javi is even trying to use their mother against Jun by posting an old photo of her with the second rate, bit player actor-turned-politician as if everything is okay.
“As a partyman, we respect our mother’s decision to stay with Asenso. But Javi is doing a hard sell by posting on line an old picture with our mother like no injustice or inhumane treatment was done on my younger brother. You are not yet mayor. Your tantrums are unacceptable. You don’t have what it takes to be a good leader. It’s a shame,” Joy said.
COMING OUT
Fuentebella said she decided to come out and defend her brother in public because of Benitez’s lies.
“I served as a mother to my brother. As the eldest sibling I need to stand up for my brother because I believed that he was telling the truth,” she explained.
She added: “My mother also believed in him but because of her strong desire to serve the people of Victorias, she chose her loyalty to her party”.*
