Baguio execs face graft raps

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – The mayor,  vice mayor, 11 city councilors and a village chief here are facing graft and corruption charges before the Office of the Ombudsman for allegedly receiving bribes in exchange for approving a permit for a trade fair.

Businessman Abdulmajid Macre filed a complaint against 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 and Joel Alangsab, and Vicente Pinlac of Barangay AZKCO.

Macre claimed the officials abused their authority, committed grave misconduct and dishonesty and violated the code of conduct  for  public officials when they “pocketed” sums of money to approve a trade fair at the Igorot Garden here.

Macre said Pinlac contacted him to provide tents and enlist tenants for the trade fair and barangay fundraising last year. After supposedly giving money ranging from P50,000 to P100,000 each to the officials, the trade fair did not materialize.

The officials denied Macre’s allegations, saying the complaint was baseless.

Domogan is facing two other graft cases filed by anti-corruption group Linis-Gobyerno for allegedly taking bribes together with policemen for various fund-raising drives in the city.