Bataan mayor, 10 others told to comment on graft case

BALANGA CITY – The Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon has ordered the mayor of Mariveles town, nine provincial board members and a municipal engineer to submit their counter-affidavits within 10 days to a complaint on the demolition of two buildings to give way to a fastfood outlet.

Joaquin Salazar, acting director of the Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon, instructed Mayor Angel Peliglorio Jr., board members Billy Reymond de Leon, Joseph Pereyra, Jose Yambao, Rafael Sanchez, Hernando del Rosario, Jose Ibarra, Amante Versoza, Eduardo Escabillo, and Mark Jimenez and municipal engineer Ildefonso Tarriela Jr. to comment on the complaint for violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Former councilor Norberto Venturina, presently the chairman of the Mariveles Public Market Vendors’ Federation, filed the case last Nov. 20.

The case arose when Peliglorio sent a letter to the provincial board requesting it to pass a resolution for the demolition of the municipal social welfare and Sangguniang Bayan offices to give way to a fastfood outlet.

In his nine-page complaint, Venturina said the municipal officials should be held criminally and administratively liable for alleged violation of Republic Act 3019.

He said the two buildings were still serviceable and had undergone renovation barely three years ago, thus costing the government losses both in terms of money invested and usefulness for the utilization of public services.

He added that the demolition violated the condition of the 1998 deed of donation by the Bataan Economic Zone which stipulated that the 500-square-meter lot be used as site for the municipal hall and playground.

Peliglorio, however, said proper procedures were strictly observed before the two buildings were demolished.

He said the municipal council gave him authority to demolish the buildings.

The three-term Peliglorio argued that the conditions set in the deed of donation were no longer applicable due to the absence of a reversion clause.