FOR GRAFT CHARGES Iloilo town mayor, 2 others suspended

ILOILO CITY, Philippines  — The mayor of Sara town in Iloilo and his two department heads have been suspended by the Sandiganbayan for graft charges in relation to the two allegedly anomalous road projects in their town.

Associate Justice Gregory Ong, of the Sandiganbayan’s 4th division, issued the 90-day suspension against Sara Mayor Neptali Salcedo, municipal engineer Roel Salcedo and former municipal treasurer Edna Pacrim for alleged violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

The charges were filed before the Office of the Ombudsman by Rep. Niel Tupas Jr. (5th district, Ilo-ilo)for alleged misuse of P300-million fund for two farm-to-market roads in Sara.

Tupas alleged that, sometime in May 2006, the three officials connived with each other when they caused the payment of P200,000 for the construction of a farm-to-market road from Brgy. Domingo to Brgy. Muyco, in Sara town, and the payment of P100,000 for the construction of another farm-to-market road from sitio Kapinayan of Brgy. Domingo to sitio Sincua in Lemery.

A report of the Commission on Audit showed that the projects were overpriced as these only included repairs of existing roads, not the construction of new roads.

Aside from the road projects, Tupas also filed 30 counts of malversation and falsification of public documents for the dubious P1.8-million labor payroll, against the three officials.

The three officials were also accused of graft for authorizing the payment of P1 million to the Sara Caltex station for fuel and lubricant used in several road repair and expansion projects.

COA found an excess payment of P153,721 citing the actual cost of fuel consumed was only P846,279 for the 10 projects.

Sara municipal legal officer James Balsomo said they have not received a copy of the Sandiganbayan as of Friday last week. He said that once they receive a copy of the order, they will plan their legal moves. “For sure, we would question it,” he said.

Balsomo said Salcedo will seek every legal remedy available to oppose the preventive suspension, adding that former municipal treasurer Edna Pacrim already retired from government service.

Balsomo said he and the mayor were in Manila to attend the Sandiganbayan hearing. When asked how Salcedo was taking the news, Balsomo said that the mayor appeared calm because “he might have seen it coming.”

Salcedo, who ran under the Lakas-NUCD Party, apparently was not surprised since the case was filed by “Jun-Jun” Tupas, a member of the Liberal Party.

“Let’s just look on who filed the case. It’s for the people to determine if it’s politically-motivated,” Balsomo added.