VICTORIAS City Councilor Virginia Adorio will stick with her party Team Asenso Victoriahanon led by mayoralty candidate Javier Miguel “Javi” Benitez.Adorio, in a press conference in Bacolod City on Thursday, April 21, said she cannot confirm if the incident where his son, Pacifico “Jun” Adorior, was allegedly ordered by Benitez to kneel before him and kiss his hands last month is true because she was not there.But, the reelectionist councilor said those whom her son claimed to be present during the incident denied the incident, saying that she was “shocked” when she was informed about it.She admitted that she knew that her son was meeting Benitez and that she also had an idea about the younger Adorio’s press conference on Wednesday.In a text message, her son told her that it is his fight and that “I am old enough to decide for myself” although he advised his mother not to resign from Benitez’s ticket.”I am protecting my integrity (and) they cannot buy me,” the 81- year old Adorio said, adding that she does not know what to believe but it hurts her as a mother.Though her doctors told her not to be stressed, Adorio believes it is her obligation to give her side of the issue.“My suspicion is that he was used by some political groups in Bacolod,” she said, especially that a picture of her son with an incumbent official of the city was circulating on social media.Adorio said that when she confronted Benitez if he indeed mistreated her son, the latter denied it.She does not know if her son has ill feelings toward her party mates, Adorio said, assuring Benitez of her loyalty with Team Asenso Victoriahanon.“I have no attitude to change from one party to the other,” she said.Meanwhile, Adorio’s daughter, in a statement yesterday, scored Benitez for his outright denial that he mistreated her brother 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,” Joy Adorio-Fuentebella said, telling the mayoralty candidate “do not lie by saying that the harrowing episode did not take place.”“You are running for public office (and) this is not a showbiz matter,” the older sister of the younger Adorio said.Benitez earlier said that Adorio was the one who requested the meeting and wanted to apologize because people are doubting his loyalty to the party and their team.“It was my first time meeting him. Why would I do such a thing? There is no truth to what he is saying. His allegations are baseless, false, malicious and a stretch of his imagination—aiming to besmirch my good reputation and character that I have worked hard to protect,” he said.Adorio-Fuentebella, however, said that instead of telling the truth, Benitez was turning the tables on her brother.She said they are collating pieces of evidence that belied Benitez’s denial on his Facebook post.”We have several pieces of 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,” she noted.Adorio-Fuentebella also said that there were text message exchanges with another city official.“We are fortunate that we did not delete them so he should stop telling lies,” she also said.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 the former wants to talk to her brother before the situation further deteriorates.The calls made by Benitez himself to his brother-in-law was confirmed by the younger Adorio himself during the press conference.But Adorio told reporters that Benitez’s efforts were an exercise in futility as he had already done so much suffering by crushing his person.”It’s non-negotiable,” he said as he emphasized that Benitez should be made accountable for what he did to him.Not even her mother was able to convince him to meet with Benitez again.”As a partyman, we respect our mother’s decision to stay with Asenso but what Javi is doing is 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,” Adorio-Fuentebella said.She told Benitez that his “tantrums are unacceptable and he doesn’t have what it takes to be a good leader.”Asked why she decided to come out, she said she wants to defend her brother in public.”I served as a mother to my brother and being the eldest sibling I needed to stand up for my brother because I believed that he was telling the truth,” she explained.Adorio-Fuentebella 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.”For his part, Benitez had said that “there were other people in that meeting who can testify about what actually happened and reveal the truth,” Benitez said, adding that “one thing is certain, at the right time, matters like this will be dealt with accordingly at the proper forum.” (With reports from EPN/APN)