12 Eastern Samar mayors file graft complaint vs lawmaker

MANILA, Philippines - Twelve mayors of Eastern Samar have charged their congressman, Teodulo Coquilla, for alleged ghost projects worth P5 million.

In a complaint filed with the Office of the Ombudsman last Friday, the mayors said in the early part of 2008, Coquilla gave P5 million of his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) allocation to the National Agribusiness Corp. (Nabcor), an agency under the Department of Agriculture.

They said the money was supposed to be for livelihood projects in the 17 towns of the lone congressional district of Eastern Samar.

They said instead of Nabcor implementing the projects directly, the agency, allegedly upon the request of Coquilla, transferred the money to the Gabaymasa Development Foundation headed by Margie Luz of BF Homes, Quezon City.

Since then, there has been no livelihood projects implemented by Nabcor, Gabaymasa or Coquilla out of the P5-million fund, the mayors said.

“The alleged projects were never implemented in our province… the funds were never really intended for projects but were diverted… we all personally know that there were no projects implemented by respondent Coquilla under his PDAF. We all know this because under the law, we monitor any project implementation in our respective towns,” they alleged.

The mayors said they made verifications with the proper government agencies and they discovered that Gabaymasa is not a registered foundation and therefore is “non-existent.”

“A field verification of its alleged address revealed that it is merely an old and battered residential house with no office, and no one knows Gabaymasa or Margie Luz,” they alleged.

They alleged there were irregularities in the implementation of projects funded out of their congressman’s PDAF allocation despite the fact that “we are a poor province and our constituents need those funds badly.”

Those who signed the complaint were Mayors Neil Alvarez of Oras, Coquilla’s hometown, Rolando Evardone of Arteche, Jojie Montallana of Jipapad, Emiliano Villacarillo of Dolores, Javier Zacate of Sulat, Conrado Nicart III of San Policarpo, Fidel Anacta Jr. of Borongan City, Daniel Baldono of Maydolong, Jaime Ty of Gen. MacArthur, Nedito Ocampo of Quinapondan, Melchor Gagante of Salcedo, and Candida Gabornes of Lawa-an.

A congressman has a PDAF allocation of between P20 million and P30 million for so-called “soft” projects like livelihood, medical and educational assistance.

He has P40 million more for “hard” projects like roads, bridges and schoolhouses. Smart and lucky lawmakers have millions more in additional funds in the form of fund insertions in the national budget.