By YAS D. OCAMPO
DAVAO CITY – Davao City Councilor Nilo “Small” Abellera, Jr. made his first public appearance weeks after being told by his doctor to take a medical leave, the same week of his appearance at a Senate investigation to find out alleged anomalies in the Bureau of Customs.
Abellera attended Tuesday’s regular session at the Sangguniang Panlungsod.
The councilor was replaced by Councilor Ma. Belen Acosta as chairman of the powerful committee on public safety and security, his vice-chairmanship of the committee on barangay affairs, as well as his memberships to other important committees.
Abellera was tagged by self-confessed customs broker Mark Taguba as allegedly a go-between to fellow-accused member of a “Davao Group,” Vice Mayor Paolo Z. Duterte.
Duterte and Abellera have since denied their involvement in the group.
Taguba has since retracted his statement on Duterte, as well as a statement tagging the husband of Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, lawyer Manases “Mans” Carpio.
Abellera, on the other hand, was accused by Taguba as someone he met at a resto-bar in Davao City.
During the Senate hearing, Abellera denied this and said he left the resto-bar as soon as he was asked to reportedly assist to reach out to the Vice Mayor.
The city council said that Abellera had taken a sick leave for the past regular sessions as he is said to be suffering from diabetes.