Lamppost issue: Counsel of Mandaue engineers to fight case with Sandigan

The lawyer of the four Mandaue City engineers who are now facing graft charges before the Sandiganbayan in connection with the controversial purchase of the decorative lampposts installed during the 12th ASEAN Summit here last year will opt to fight it out with the anti-graft court rather than ask for a reinvestigation with the Office of the Ombudsman Visayas.

Lawyer Gloria Lastimosa Dalawampu said they have prepared legal action, which will be filed before the Sandiganbayan before her clients will be scheduled for arraignment.

Dalawampu, counsel for acting Mandaue City engineer Hidelisa Latonio, assistant engineer Gregorio Omo, staff engineers Mario Gerolaga and Rosalina Denque said that they do not intend to seek for reinvestigation of the case.

Although the remedy is still available for them, Dalawampu said she does not believe that it would be a prudent move for them. She admitted that there is no chance to have the Ombudsman resolution indicting her clients for violations of the anti-graft and corrupt practices act reversed.

According to Dalawampu, she will stay with the Sandiganbayan as venue for their legal moves. She however refused to reveal their next move following her clients posting bail for their temporary liberty.

Latonio, Omo, Gerolaga and Denque obtained temporary liberty based on the order of Regional Trial Court Judge Ramon Codilla. The four engineers posted P30,000 bail each after the Sandiganbayan second division ordered for their arrest last Friday.

Upon the advice of Dalawampu, the four engineers surrendered at the National Bureau of Investigation before agents from Manila could serve their warrants of arrest.

One engineer however remained at large and reportedly could not be located since Friday. Engineer Alfredo Sanchez, Sr. is allegedly in hiding.

Ombudsman Maria Merceditas Gutierrez earlier filed the graft charges against the said engineers including former Mandaue City Mayor Thadeo Ouano, Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Arturo Radaza, and several officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways over the alleged overpriced procurement of decorative lampposts.

Ouano and Radaza and the rest of the accused have posted bail before the warrant of arrest against them could be issued.

The other respondents are former DPWH-7 regional director Roberto Lala, assistant regional directors Gloria Dindin and Marlina Alvizo; maintenance division head Pureza Fernandez, assistant maintenance division chief Cresencio Bagolor, regional legal officer Agustinito Hermoso, planning and design division chief Luis Galang, administrative division chief Restituto Diano, and construction division chief Buenaventura Pajo.

All of them, excluding Radaza who was reelected, were ordered dismissed from government service, although the dismissal order is yet to be implemented because of the pending appeal.

The supplier of the controversial lampposts Isabelo Braza of Fabmik Construction and Equipment Supply Company, and Gerardo Surla of Gampik Construction and Development, Inc., were likewise included in the charges. – Fred P. Languido/MEEV