Monalisa

Hole of Justice

by Peter G. Jimenea

The Curse of Monalisa

Never has there been officials so irresolute and derelict in the performance of their  duties and responsibilities than the two deputies of "forced-to-resigned" Ombudsman Monalisa, ehe, este Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez.

Look, the failed Iloilo City Housing Project scam filed with their office and has consumed the city for years, seems not good for the Sandigan. The 413 houses costing P125M for city employees started in 2001, but ended in 2009 without a unit completed.

Worse, the P125 million loan of the city government with the Philippine National Bank (PNB) was transferred to the account of the Philippine Veterans Bank (PVB), a month after the construction started. On why, nobody knows, but documentation alone was a whooping - P12M.

The anomalous travel cost of P12M in a few meters distance from PNB to the PVB is believed done by officials who cannot resist the temptation of greed. The crooks who always ask compensation for what they never lost. Ex pudoratus - shameless!

As to who shared the amount of the loot, only God knows. But the P12M has increased the burden of the taxpayers from P125M to P137M. Worse, the contractor abandoned the failed project and ran away with over P64M in his pocket. What is somewhat missing in the empty lives of these people is to die with dignity!

Thus, in 2004, a case was filed at the Office of then Ombudsman Monalisa este, Gutierrez. But the folder changed hands only from one deputy to another without any result. Except for the honest ones, these deputies are worms in-aid of corruption to government parasites sucking the taxpayers' blood.

It was resolved by Graft Investigation and Prosecution Officer I, Pio Dargante on May 9, 2005. The review was done by Dir. Edgardo Canton and the recommending approval was made by then Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Primo Miro, on May 23, 2005.

Surprisingly, it took five (5) years for Overall Deputy Ombudsman Orlando Casimiro to approve the Consolidated Resolution which issuance bore the handwritten date of August 20, 2010. This creates an impression without affirming the perception that the delay was done in exchange for - you know what!  

It gives us an erroneous impression of ODO Casimiro that he is a worm who stepped over-the-line of pardonable behavior because of greed. Lowly employees at the Ombudsman's office are most sorely tempted to steal but don't, my goodness!

So first to resign from his post was Deputy Ombudsman, Mark Jalandoni. Critics say the reason is his fear from the charges being prepared against him by the new administration. Some say he overtly professed what he covertly undertake and that badly destroyed the image of his office. 

Now here comes another worm, ehe, este deputy with less-working-brain. Deliberate or not, his neglect to attend on this Iloilo City Housing Project anomaly made us believe he is yet to know his official accountability and responsibility attendant thereto!

He should know that the P137M is your money, my money, our money or the taxpayers money. On why he ignored the consequences of his inaction, he has yet to say. But he should know further, that it is only for him and the emboldened Iloilo City Hall crooks that what he did was good!

This reminds me of Monalisa when confronted at the House Committee on Justice. She was murmuring crass words nobody understands. No wonder; "Court is guided by jurisprudence borne from experience that perfect testimonies cannot be expected from imperfect senses!" (Pp vs. Sahagun, 274 SCRA 208).

An adage says; qui peccat ebrius luat sobrius - he who offends when drunk shall be punished when sober. So what happened to their lady boss? She hurriedly stepped down badly beaten by her looks. She should have known that "the abuse of right is the greatest possible wrong." (Arlegui vs. CA, 378 SCRA 322)  

Look, despite the long-delay to resolve the case, ODO Casimiro still give an extension for further investigation on the involvement of other respondents in this mess. Now, as we see it, Cong. Jerry Trenas has easily got off the hook than former Mayor Mansueto Malabor does. What a heck!

The stooges of Monalisa should know that what is involved here is P137M of taxpayers' money and the unrealized dream of the poor city employees to own a house. The project failed because emboldened crooks pounce on city coffers for every chance they get. This injustice is a crime that cries to God for vengeance!

When Mark Jalandoni stepped down, few good and many bad deputies are left behind. So let's be vigilant as we still have no guarantee that when ODO Casimiro gets out someday, all the lazy worms of Monalisa will also go away!

Well, I hope to have made your day in this column. You ask for it. Now you get the spanking you deserved for being stupid.  If I am to judge you in this Iloilo City Housing Project mess, mine is a very simple solution - a bullet in the head done in public!