Cuenco, brgy chief face graft raps at Ombuds

The political tirade between Cebu City south district congressman Antonio Cuenco and congressional aspirant Jonathan Guardo shifted to the legal arena with the filing yesterday of graft charges against the congressman, a barangay captain and a businessman over the alleged purchase of overpriced multicabs.

Irene Camarista, a resident of barangay Guadalupe, asked the Office of the Ombudsman Visayas to investigate Cuenco, Quiot barangay captain Vicente Ramos Jr. and businessman Reagan King, general manager of RDAK Transport Equipment Incorporated, for alleged violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

The complainant is a daughter of former Guadalupe barangay councilman Edgar Gallardo. She ran for Guadalupe councilman before but lost.

The case stemmed from Cuenco's move to purchase 20 Chariot Kingcab vehicles from RDAK Transport out of his P6 million Priority Development Assistance Fund using barangay Quiot as conduit, but the vehicles were distributed to 19 other barangays in Cebu City's south district.

Camarista believed that Cuenco and Ramos violated the provisions of the law as provided for under Republic Act 3019, otherwise known as the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and Code of Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.

She said the vehicles that are now used by the barangays were purchased without public bidding, a violation of the procedures of the state audit code. She added that the vehicles were also overpriced at P300,000 each when these could have been bought for only P100,000 each.

Jonathan Guardo, who already signified his intention to run against Cuenco in the forthcoming local elections, also believed that Cuenco's move of overpricing the amount of the purchase for the vehicles is to save funds for the campaign period.

Cuenco, meanwhile, denied the allegation and assured the public that he has not committed any wrongdoing on the purchase of vehicles for the barangays in the city's south district.

Even though it was not Guardo who filed the complaint, Cuenco said the complaint is Guardo's simple gimmick to propel his "hopeless attempt for fame and glory."

Cuenco said Guardo is like a "lose cannon" desperate to gain media mileage to promote his candidacy.

He said the complaint was premature and had no basis because the prices of the vehicles in question have yet to be decided. He added that the government has not paid for the vehicles even if these are already being used by the barangays. He also said there is still an ongoing bidding for the supply of the vehicles, saying that RDAK just lent the vehicles to the barangays for test driving. The vehicles, he said, will be returned to RDAK once another supplier wins in the bidding.

The congressman, however, admitted that the vehicles were only given to his political allies saying the barangays that get the vehicles is his prerogative.

But he explained that the barangays whose chiefs are not allied with him will still get a vehicle through councilmen who are allied with him. -Fred Languido and Rene Borromeo/QSB