Ex-Zambales gov, judge, 3 others charged with graft

MANILA, Philippines - Former Zambales governor Vicente Magsaysay, an Olongapo City regional trial court (RTC) judge and three other individuals are facing graft charges before the Office of the Ombudsman for allegedly stopping a Japanese firm from constructing a factory at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

Subic Coastal Development Corp. (SCDC) chairman and chief executive officer Marianito Fernandez filed the complaint on Thursday as he accused Judge Richard Paradeza of issuing a questionable temporary restraining order (TRO) in favor of another private company.

Fernandez said Paradeza stopped Cresc Inc. from constructing the factory in a one-hectare property leased by SCDC, which Magsaysay’s Mobi and Red Enterprises (MRE) claimed to have also leased as early as 2008.

In his complaint, Fernandez said Magsaysay, Angelica Cheng, lawyer Josefina Ela Bueno and one Mariano Chua Jr. filed a civil case against the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority and Cresc Inc. on Nov. 5, 2014 and asked for damages and the issuance of a TRO.

Fernandez said Paradeza continued to hear the case and issued a 20-day TRO without acting on SCDC’s motion to dismiss.

“In effect, Cresc Inc. will suffer further delays in their construction because of ex-governor Vicente Magsaysay, who saw yet another chance to prey on a helpless foreign investor,” the complaint added.

Fernandez, through his lawyer Bonifacio Alentajan, said the respondents should be held liable for causing undue injury to SCDC.

He said Paradeza should also be placed under preventive suspension and dismissed from government service, with his retirement benefits forfeited.