There was an empty chair at Tuesday's Christchurch City Council meeting.
Swiggs had not sent a standard apology for his no-show.
An independent investigator has begun looking into the claims. Swiggs sent a statement to Newshub on Monday, saying he felt it was important to stop "aspersion being cast" on his colleagues.
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He said he denies any allegations of misconduct and will cooperate fully with the investigation.
A youth group first raised the allegations in May, and a formal complaint was made earlier this month.
According to Radio New Zealand, the three complainants were aged between 13 and 21-years-old and the messages were sent over three years.
One of the complainants, identified as "Josh", said he met Swiggs at an event in 2017 when he was 13 years old.
Josh told RNZ's Checkpoint Swiggs made him feel "incredibly uncomfortable".
When he went to give Swiggs a handshake, Josh alleges he was "bear-hugged" by him.
Josh told Checkpoint it made him feel "unsafe". He said inappropriate messages were also sent to him on social media.
Swiggs' statement on Monday said it was hoped the situation "will be resolved quickly, so Christchurch ratepayers have certainty ahead of voting in the current election.
"I will make no further comment at this time."
Swiggs outed himself on Monday afternoon, after Christchurch City Mayor Lianne Dalziel called on the councillor concerned to name themselves "in fairness to everyone including their colleagues and voters".
Newshub.
