Legal battle between Umali, Joson continues
The governor is now facing violations of RA 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and RA 9184 or the Procurement Act following the complaint filed last week by his bitter rival, Vice Gov. Edward Thomas Joson.
The cases stemmed from the complaints of Joson who accused Umali of allegedly releasing P15 million from his Priority Development Assistance Fund to the Masaganang Ani Para sa Magsasaka Foundation Inc. and Samahan ng mga Manininda ng Prutas sa Gabi, Inc.
Joson said that Umali entered into an agreement with MAPMFI on Dec. 1,2005 to procure and distribute fertilizers to qualified farmer-beneficiaries and that the foundation used the P12 million in purchasing 7,920 liters of liquid fertilizers for beneficiaries in the municipalities of Gabaldon and Gen. Natividad.
“The prize of each bottled fertilizer was maliciously, fraudulently and willfully bloated to P1,500 per bottle when the true and legitimate market price of each bottled liquid fertilizer in the towns is only P100 to P150,” he said in his complaint.
Umali, he claimed, gave P3 million to SMPGI as financial aid to various livelihood projects and to supply irrigation pumps in his district.
He said that like the fertilizer scam, prices of each diesel engine and water pump ballooned to P120,000, contrary to the prevailing market price of P40,000.
“That is very clear that the transaction entered into by the respondent again involved overpriced items designed to earn a big amount of money to the damage and prejudice of his constituents,” he added.
Joson earlier filed criminal and administrative charges against Umali, his wife, Rep. Czarina, provincial treasurer Edilberto Pancho, consultant Ferdinand Abesamis for the alleged overpricing of 93 multicabs distributed to various villages worth P176,000 each. – Manny Galvez
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