Hole of Justice: I still care

Hole of Justice: I still care: Hole of Justice by Peter G. Jimenea I still care! It is now 18 months of further probing the involvement of Cong. Jerry Trenas...

I still care

Hole of Justice

by Peter G. Jimenea

I still care!

It is now 18 months of further probing the involvement of Cong.

Jerry Trenas in the Pavia Housing anomaly but Deputy Ombudsman

for the Visayas Pelagio Apostol is still groping in the dark for probable

cause against the former mayor.

The P137M taxpayers’ money for the construction of 413 low-cost

houses of the poor city hall employees was prostituted. Not even

a unit was completed. A case was filed in 2004 yet, but it seems to

disappear in the course of time. This is what got me so suspicious

about.

This housing project of the Iloilo City government was implemented

in 2001 under the administration of then Mayor Trenas, yet, it ended

a “white elephant” in 2009. On what misfortune for the taxpayers, the

contractor Alex Trinidad ran away with P64M in his pocket!

It all started when he was discovered to have been using substandard

materials in the construction, thus, the city council issued a unanimous

resolution urging the mayor to suspend the project and sue him. But

the mayor ignored them and continued paying the contractor’s billing

in millions.

Surprisingly, Deputy Ombudsman Apostol as of presstime, cannot find a

probable cause to indict the former mayor and elevate this case to the

Sandiganbayan. My goodness, the unauthorized payment of th mayor to

the contractor is already embraced in RA 3019!

Under Article 1191 of the Civil Code of the Philippines; The power to

rescind obligations is implied in reciprocal ones, in case one of the

obligors could not comply what is incumbent upon him. But what did

the mayor do to protect the taxpayers’ money?

He should have confiscated the surety bond posted by the contractor

as guarantee to finish the project he abandoned. Worse, despite the

residual imperfection their will was done. Culpa lata dolo a equiparatur –

gross negligence is equivalent to malice or intentional wrong. (Balatbat vs

CA, 261 SCRA 128).

Still, Apostol cannot find a probable cause to implicate former mayor

now Cong. Trenas to the messy project. Is Apostol trying to impress upon

us that there is a powerful person trying to influence his decision in this

case? Rumor mills are grinding overnight that it is Sen. Franklin Drilon.

I hope this is not true.

In Section 13, RA 6770 or the Ombudsman Act of 1989, it provides that

the Ombudsman and his Deputies, as protector of the people shall act

promptly on complaints filed against officers or employees of the

government to promote its efficient service to the people.

Well, if there is no hidden hand that interferes with this case, deliberate

or not, the overdue delay of Apostol to resolve it in time has created a

bad impression that it is done in exchange for – you know what!

In the instant case, this runaround is misperceived as the best that money

can buy. For sure Apostol is not that old enough to overlook the sleeping

folder at his office. I hope his is not a probe in eternity.

This is not what we think the business of the Office of the Ombudsman-

Visayas in Iloilo City is all about. But the Housing Project in Pavia is already

a vital proof of its people’s neglect in attending cases. Just a reminder, in

case oblivion prevails….. see the title!

Hole of Justice: Hole ofJusticeBy PeterG. JimeneaWhere isChing?...

Hole of Justice: Hole ofJusticeBy PeterG. Jimenea


Where isChing?
...: Hole of Justice By Peter G. Jimenea Where is Ching? Christoper Ching, an employee of the Iloilo City Treasurer’s Office (ICTO) has...

Hole of Justice: Hole ofJusticeBy PeterG. JimeneaWhere isChing?...

Hole of Justice: Hole ofJusticeBy PeterG. Jimenea


Where isChing?
...: Hole of Justice By Peter G. Jimenea Where is Ching? Christoper Ching, an employee of the Iloilo City Treasurer’s Office (ICTO) has...

Hole of Justice

By Peter G. Jimenea

Where is Ching?

Christoper Ching, an employee of the Iloilo City Treasurer’s Office (ICTO) has been missing since the first quarter of 2010. He disappeared just after the surprised audit conducted by COA at his office.

COA personnel audited the ICTO due to complaints of city hall employees about their delayed salaries. The result revealed that Ching has incurred a P2.3M shortage in his cash possession.

The compounding problem is that another P25M was discovered missing in the ICTO coffers. Ching disappeared after the audit leaving us groping in the dark for an answer why and how the shortage happened.

Soon rumors from the ICTO started to grind that the amount embezzled by him is not only P2.3M but P27.3M In short, the missing P25M was charged also to his account by ICTO officials.

But the rumors spreading at the old City Hall were disputed by complaining employees. They claimed the P25M is not missing. Somebody being closed to the king had been using the money for personal gains.

Evil they can only be. The P25M cash is used to buy the pending salaries of poor employees. Those in dire need of cash are forced to sell their pay slip to the city hall vultures at a discounted rate. This is what the earlier claim hinted at.

Yet, the undesirable underling being tapped by the mastermind to run this God forbidden business has also a stink in her closet. She is publicly known in the palace as the power-pilfering queen. PECO has her bad record.

But God is good. COA invaded the ICTO without prior notice. The surprise raid of COA resulted to the discovery not only of the P2.3M cash shortage of Ching but also of another missing P25M in the ICTO coffers!

If we take a careful look at the records of the city government, it can drive an honest city employee to the brink of insanity. It seems that top city hall officials had been affected by RA 3019 disease . Lowly ICTO employees are most sorely tempted to steal but don’t.

The deliberately delay of employees salaries has been going on for years, yet, then Mayor Jerry Trenas was so silent about it. Anyway, he has that right to remain silent. In fact, who would kill a duck that lays golden eggs?

I can only pity Ching for his acquiescence to the advice of ICTO crooks and his boss to hide to save face. He did not save himself by running away from responsibility. What he spared is the integrity of the mastermind. Now, his P2.3M shortage has instantly increased to P27.3M because of his stupidity.

He played an actor in a role he cannot fully understand. He failed to notice that it took eight-years for the suspect mastermind to master the OPM, an art of making money by using “other people’s mind.”

Had Ching stayed to tell the truth, he could have been exonerated from this unwanted mess. He forgot that vigilante prospiciunt jura -the law protects him who is watchful of his rights. (Salao vs. Salao, 70 SCRA 65).

What happened now to the P27.3M taxpayers’ money? We heard no case was filed against Ching. Well, God knows, culpa lata dolo a equiparatur – gross negligence is equivalent to malice or intentional wrong. But where is Ching?

Hole of Justice: The Neophytes at Checkpoints

Hole of Justice: The Neophytes at Checkpoints: Hole of Justice by Peter G. Jimenea The PNP Neophytes at Checkpoints Critics cannot say this space has never been a friendly place fo...

Hole of Justice: The Neophytes at Checkpoints

Hole of Justice: The Neophytes at Checkpoints: Hole of Justice by Peter G. Jimenea The PNP Neophytes at Checkpoints Critics cannot say this space has never been a friendly place fo...