Demonic Decision

Hole of Justice

by Peter G. Jimenea
 

Demonic Decision                                                                         

 

In yesterday’s issue, the Iloilo City Government Housing Project handed over by outgoing Mayor Mansueto Malabor to Mayor Jerry Trenas for implementation in 2001, has become an absurd legacy.

 

The construction of 413 units of houses that started in 2001 under Mayor Trenas ended in 2009, his last term, without a completed unit. For that, a case was filed against him and all the people involved by the four city councilors and a private lawyer in 2004.

 

In 2005, the Office of the Ombudsman through former Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Primo Miro and the two other Graft Investigators, resolved to indict Mayor Malabor et al, for awarding the million project to a contractor with only P2M capitalization.

 

A similar resolution was handed down against the group of Mayor Trenas, City Treasurer Catherine Tingson and City Administrator Melchor Tan. But after the 2005 decision, the case slept at the office of the Ombudsman for five years. The reason why it was later called by Atty. Gerochi the Office of Monalisa.

 

In 2010, right after Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez resigned for fear of being impeached, the Overall Deputy Ombudsman Orlando Casimiro forwarded the case with corresponding decision to Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Pelagio Apostol in the latter’s office in Iloilo City.

 

But as easily gleaned, it was modified by Casimiro who upheld the indictment of Mayor Malabor and his eight other staffers. Yet, he tasks Apostol to investigate further the involvement of Mayor Trenas and company in the housing anomaly.

 

In short, Apostol must ascertain that there is a probable cause to indict Mayor Trenas el al. Look, Alex Trinidad, the contractor abandoned the project after he was discovered using substandard materials, yet, Trenas continued paying his billing in millions.

 

Probable cause needs only to rest on evidence showing that more likely than not, a crime has been committed. Even fourth year high school students would easily believe that the unauthorized payment of Mayor Trenas to the erring contractor is embraced in RA 3019.

 

Injustice lies fairly in “delayed” decision rather than “erroneous” as the latter can be appealed immediately. Worse, amending the original decision of senior Graft Investigators in 2005 is highly suspicious, evil, it can only be. Casimiro should know that it is only for him and the government crooks that what he did was good!

 

His temerity to tinker the original decision of Primo Miro and company creates an impression without affirming the perception that it is in exchange for – you know what! Look, lowly employees of the Office of the Ombudsman are most sorely tempted to steal but don’t!

 

Those who spent almost all of the P137M fund for the Housing project are now smiling to the ears due to Casimiro’s selective approach to prosecution. As we noticed, other culprits easily got off the hook than Malabor does. They failed to know that the torture of a bad conscience is the hell of a living soul.

 

True, there is really a big difference among people who attained the top post by managerial capability than those elevated to their post by political expediency. Casimiro may be different but his wisdom failed him in this case. I think it is not a “Solomonic solution” but a …… see the title!