Baguio execs face graft raps

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines  – Baguio City officials from the mayor, vice mayor down to 11 city councilors and a village chief are facing corruption raps before the Office of the Ombudsman for allegedly receiving “grease money” for their approval of a “trade fair”.

Those facing corruption raps are City mayor Mauricio Domogan, Vice Mayor Daniel Fariñas, Councilors Nicasio Aliping, Isabelo Cosalan, Elmer Datuin, Peter Fianza, Edison Bilog, Richard Cariño, Perlita Chan-Rondez, Fred Bagbagen, Erdolfo Balajadia, Nicasio Palaganas, Joel Alangsab and village chief Vicente Pinlac of AZKCO barangay.

Trade fair organizer and businessman Abdulmajid Macre has filed the case before the Ombudsman, alleging that city officials abused their authority,  committed grave misconduct, dishonesty and violated the Code of Conduct of Public Officials when they “pocketed”  sums of money purposely to approve a trade fair at the Igorot Garden here.

Macre was reportedly contacted by Punong Barangay Pinlac to provide tents and enlist tenants for their trade fair and barangay fund raising last year.

After supposedly giving sums of money ranging from P50,000  to P100,000 each of the officials,  the trade fair never prospered, yet another city-led trade fair operated in the same area.

Only Councilors Philian Weygan-Allan, Betty Lourdes Tabanda and Karminn Dinney Yangot were spared from the complaint.

All denying Macre’s allegations, city officials led by Domogan cried harassment and said th complaint is baseless.

Domogan is facing at least two other Ombudsman cases lodged by anti-corruption group Linis-Gobyerno led by Odell Aquino for allegedly taking bribes together with policemen in various “fund-raising” drives in the city including “bingo-social activities” that allegedly have become fronts of gambling activities. - Artemio A. Dumlao