Some Marikina City residents have rallied behind 1st District Rep. Marcelino “Marcy” Teodoro, denouncing what they described as continued political efforts to bring him down and claiming that the complaints against him lack sufficient basis.

In a statement, the Samahan ng mga Angkan sa Marikina said the repeated accusations against Teodoro have frustrated families and communities that have known and worked with the lawmaker for years.

“Ang mga kasong ito laban kay Cong. Marcy Teodoro ay bogus at walang sapat na basehan, at nakakalungkot na ginagamit ang mga ito para hilahin pababa ang isang taong matagal na naming nakasama at nakilala sa Marikina,” the group said.

The organization said it represents 50 clans comprising around 10,000 individuals.

It maintained that the allegations would not easily erase Teodoro’s reputation among residents.

“Hindi isang paratang ang basta makakabura sa mahabang pinagsamahan ng mga pamilya, angkan, at komunidad sa ating lungsod,” the group said.

It also called for an end to what it described as political attacks against the lawmaker.

“Hindi ganito ang Marikina na kinalakihan natin. Bayan tayo ng dangal, respeto, at mabuting pakikitungo sa kapwa, hindi ng walang katapusang paninira. Tama na ang paghihilahan pababa. We stand with and defend Cong. Marcy!” it added.

Meanwhile, Teodoro’s legal counsel, Alma Mallonga, maintained that the complaints against the congressman lack sufficient basis and questioned the circumstances surrounding the Department of Justice resolution.

Mallonga said the complaints had been investigated by a DOJ panel composed of Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Anna Noreen Denavadera and Assistant State Prosecutor Ruth Anne Zamora.

“Nagkaroon ng mga hearing at natapos ang imbestigasyon mahigit pitong buwan na ang nakalilipas. Kaya nakakagulat na nagkaroon ng isang resolution na hindi ginawa o pinirmahan ng DOJ panel na nagsagawa ng imbestigasyon,” Mallonga said.

“Sa halip, ito ay ginawa at pinirmahan ng ibang State Prosecutor,” she added.

The DOJ earlier found probable cause with reasonable certainty of conviction to indict Teodoro on four counts of rape through sexual assault and one count of acts of lasciviousness involving two female police officers who previously served as his security personnel.