The deputies

Hole of Justice

by Peter G. Jimenea

Despicable Deputies

The anomaly in the Iloilo City Housing Project that has consumed the city for years, as it turned out, seems not good for the Overall Deputy Ombudsman Orlando Casimiro.

On why, only God knows. But the P125M project for the construction of 413 houses of lowly City Hall employees that started in 2001, has ended in 2009 without a unit completed.

The bidding and awarding of the said project construction was made during the incumbency of Mayor Mansueto Malabor in 2000 but was only implemented the following year under Mayor now Cong. Jerry Trenas.

From the start, there were releases of funds prior to the construction of the houses. Worse, after the new administration took over, crooks started also to pounce on city coffers for every chance they get.

The P125M loan of the city government with the Philippine National Bank (PNB) was suddenly transferred to Philippine Veterans Bank (PVB) incurring a whooping P12M for documentation alone. On why this cost much, Cong. Trenas has yet to disclose.

But the P12M has increased the burden of the taxpayers from P125M to P137M. Worse, Ace Builders Enterprises (ABE) the contractor, has abandoned the project and ran away with over P64M of the people’s money as Trenas continued paying the bill despite the failed project.

In 2004, a case against Mayor Trenas and underlings was filed with the Office of the Ombudsman. Yet, until the first quarter of 2011, nothing has been heard about the case.

There is a widespread public belief the resigned Deputy Ombudsman Mark Jalandoni is a friend of Trenas and has something to do with the sleeping of his case at the Ombudsman’s Office.

Worse, on August 2011, a Consolidated Resolution which is based on the investigation of the case already done in 2005 was immediately signed by Overall Deputy Ombudsman Casimiro and was acting like a passenger catching the last plane out!

He indicted Mayor Malabor and group but surprisingly spared former mayor now Cong. Trenas and company. It is giving the congressman an extension of time for further investigation of their involvement in the case.

Wow! Casimiro was already in the pot but jumps into the fire. High school students who may have read the complaint surely understand the clear and understandable language written therein.

Casimiro stepped over the line of pardonable behavior. His act has created an impression without affirming the perception that the time extension given by him to Cong. Trenas and company is in exchange for you….. know what!

Why call for another shot to effect a desire already done by Director Virginia Palanca Santiago seven years ago? Is this another fishing expedition hoping for a bigger catch? Casimiro should know that it is only for him and the Trenas’ group that what he did was good!

For brilliant lawyers with smooth mastery of law, this extended time for further investigation of the housing mess is absurdity. Now, did stooges in the Ombudsman Iloilo office start the investigation of this case? If none, evil, this can only be!