BY MAE SINGUAY
BACOLOD City – The Office of the Ombudsman dismissed the plunder and administrative complaints for grave misconduct and dishonesty filed against former mayor Evelio Leonardia (now congressman) and several others over the city government’s purchase of a private lot for the relocation of squatters here in 2010.
The 60-hectare property was located in Barangay Vista Alegre. The city government bought it for P132 million.
According to complainants Sarah Esguerra and Victor Eduardo, the purchase was irregular.
In dismissing the complaints, the Ombudsman said there was no evidence that Leonardia and others benefited from the lot purchase or even from the city government’s bank loan to pay the property owner.
The city government secured a P250-million loan from the Philippine Veterans Bank for the lot purchase and site development.
The other respondents were former vice mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson, former councilors Homer Bais, Dindo Ramos, Al Victor Espino, Napoleon Cordova , Diosdado Valenzuela, Daniel Ramos and incumbent councilors Roberto Rojas and Alex Paglumotan; former city legal officer Joselito Bayatan, former secretary to the mayor Vicente Petierre III, former city administrator Rogelio Balo, City Treasurer Annabelle Badajos, City Accountant Eduardo Ravena, City Budget Officer Luzviminda Reyes, Annabelle Yong, Severo Leagogo of the Philippine Veterans Bank, Nelie Antigua and Romanita Andal.
Antigua and Andal were the property owners.
Esguerra said she will file a motion for reconsideration with the Ombudsman.
The Ombudsman order was dated July 22, 2014.
Esguerra, who filed the complaint on April 23, 2010, said there was no transparency in the city government’s bank loan and that the plan to have a relocation site for squatters in Barangay Vista Alegre did not have feasibility study or even a public hearing.
If Esguerra were to be believed, the bank loan for the purchased lot had legal flaws because:
- city officials did not secure clearance from the Department of Finance
- they did not secure the opinion of the Monetary Board on the implications of the loan, and
- they disregarded Commission on Audit Circular No. 2009-001 mandating the submission of perfected contracts to state auditors.
Esguerra also alleged that the Deed of Absolute Sale violated Sections 85 to 87 of Presidential Decree 1445 because it lacked appropriation and certification of the city treasurer.
On October 27, 2009, the Sangguniang Panlungsod here, through Resolution No. 866, series of 2009, authorized Leonardia, then city mayor, to sign a loan agreement and Deed of Assignment with the Philippine Veterans Bank for P250 million.
On February 8, 2010, Appropriation Ordinance No. 2, series of 2010 was approved for the purchase of relocation sites, including the one in Barangay Vista Alegre./PN
