A resident of Brgy. Bata, Bacolod City has filed administrative and criminal complaints against Bacolod Rep. Evelio Leonardia and Councilor El Cid Familiaran, now acting Vice Mayor, before the Office of the Ombudsman for the councilor's ownership of a stall at the Manokan Country. Abner Cañal asked the Ombudsman to issue a preventive suspension order against the respondents to prevent them from influencing the investigation of the complaint he filed for violation of section 89 (a)(5) of the Local Government Code of 1991 in relation to section 3(g)&(h) of R.A. 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. In his complaint dated Dec. 23, 2015 filed by his counsel Eduardo Padios before the Ombudsman, Cañal claimed that Leonardia violated section 89 of the LGC in relation to section 3, parag. (g) of R.A. 3019, when he signed and entered into a contract of lease with Familiaran dated June 24, 2013, despite knowing and being fully aware that the said contract is prohibited by law/s. Cañal also alleged that Leonardia treated Familiaran with great favor in approving the lease contract 50 percent lower rentals compared to other lessees/occupants of the government owned property, which is a conclusive manifestation of conspiracy of both city officials in using their respective positions to benefit only personal gain and interest of Familiaran resulting to irreparable injury and is disadvantageous to the city government of Bacolod. For owning, possessing, and using government property using his position in conspiracy with Leonardia, Familiaran violated section 89 (a) sub-section (5) of the LGC of 1991, in relation to section 3 (h) of R.A. 3019, he added. A GRAND DESIGN Familiaran said this is a grand design to attack his character. It is a demolition by perception but he will keep praying for his political enemies. He said he acquired the stall through public bidding and built the structure using his personal funds since this was demolished by the former tenant. Familiaran also pointed out that he and Leonardia were political opponents at the time he acquired the stall since he was still with the team of suspended mayor Monico Puentevella. Leonardia's legal counsel, Joselito Bayatan said the complaint filed against the solon and Familiaran bears the political label of the suspended mayor. FOLLOWERS BOLTING It is a known fact, that due to the growing unpopularity and unabated misgovernance of Puentevella, many of his followers are bolting out from his camp. One of them is Familaran who now prefers to join the Grupo Progreso of Leonardia for integrity and to avoid being tainted with the badge of graft and corruption under the rule of Puentevella, he said. Bayatan said it is of common knowledge that Puentevella never rests from perturbing his opponents by filing against them multiple yet baseless cases before the Ombudsman, using his minions. “We may count that there were 56 Ombudsman cases filed by Puentevella and his minions against Leonardia, 50 of which have thus far been dismissed. Now Puentevella has added one more case,” he said. Bayatan said it is unfortunate for Familiaran to be now branded by Puentevella as his opponent, hence this case against him, as they sympathize with the acting vice mayor. “This is how Puentevella works with his followers, once you get out from his misgovernance he will treat you as his enemy then expect his wrathful harassment,” he said. LEASE CONTRACT FOR RENEWAL By reading the complaint, it is very clear that the lease contract is legitimate and entered into by the City Government with the then Mayor Leonardia simply representing the city. the same lease contract was ALSO simply a renewal that originated way back in 2006 yet, Bayatan said. It is misleading for the camp of Puentevella to allege that the rental payment of Familiaran is much lower compared with the other lessees, The list of rental payments coming from the City Treasurer as attached to the complaint, shows that there are rental payments even much lower than that of Familiaran's, he said. Bayatan said the complaint did not fairly state that Familiaran has had no arrears in his lease obligation, compared with those who had a higher lease but having rental arrears in the tune of more than P400,000. The total arrears uncollected by the City Government under the Puentevella Administration is P6,504,162.40 as shown in Annex "F" of the complaint. If there is somebody who committed acts gross disadvantageous to the City Government, it would be Puentevella who failed to collect this total arrears of P6.504,162.40, he said. “INCOMPETENT, INDIFFERENCE This will only prove Puentevella's incompetence and indifference to his duty as mayor, Bayatan said. It is also sad to note that while he neglected to collect the arrears of P6,504,162.40, his solution is to sell these various stalls known as the Manokan Country, a formula that cannot garner a passing grade in elementary economics and finance subjects, he said. Bayatan said they are ready to face this Ombudsman case. NOT LIKE UKAY-UKAY They are not worried about it because this is not like the "Ukay ukay" case involving the son of Puentevella, who is also his executive assistant, that victimized the poor and unsuspecting vendors by collecting from them the "advance rent" and for a "special permit" for the use of the public plaza in the sum of P500,000 that did not fully materialize because there was no approval from the Sanggunian Panlungsod, Bayatan added.*CGS
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Categories
All
|