Filtered By: Topstories
News

Ombudsman orders graft raps vs Peewee Trinidad, other Pasay officials


The Office of the Ombudsman on Tuesday ordered the filing of graft charges against the former and incumbent mayors, and other Pasay City officials over solid waste management contracts from 2004 to 2006. Those ordered charged before the Sandiganbayan for violation of Section 3 (e) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act were:

  • former Pasay City Mayor Wenceslao "Peewee" Trinidad, and
  • former vice mayor and incumbent mayor Antonio Calixto, among others. In a press statement on Tuesday, the Office of the Ombudsman said investigation, it showed that the Pasay City government appropriated P232,320,000 in public funds for garbage disposal. Acting Ombudsman Orlando Casimiro said the contracts for the city's garbage disposal project for two years were awarded to several contractors without any public bidding. Politically motivated In a phone interview with GMA News Online on Tuesday, Trinidad said the complaints filed against him were "politically motivated." "These cases were actually filed in 2006 just to get me suspended for the 2007 elections. And I was indeed suspended and removed from office because of this," he said. Trinidad belittled the testimonies of the two witnesses presented against him and the other city officials, saying the two were "incredible people making up incredible stories." "They claimed that the bribe money was being handed to me in my office and I that I would allegedly count it in front of many people. Is that even a credible story?," Trinidad said. The former Pasay mayor lamented that Casimiro bought the testimonies of the two witnesses. "Ombudsman Casimiro has been shooting me from the hips," Trinidad said. In explaining why the contracted were not publicly bid out, Trinidad maintained that as a mayor, he was "allowed to give extensions to government contracts." "Kapag hindi ko in-extend, babaho ang city. Puwede ko namang iwan na lang na walang kontratistsa, kaso ang sabi ng mga tao sa paligid ko, 'Ikaw din ang pagbibintangan kapag walang kontrata,'" Trinidad said. Asked what his next move would be, Trinidad said he would still have to meet with his lawyers. Others charged Aside from Trinidad and Calixto, the others ordered charged for graft were city Councilors Richard M. Advincula, Lexter N. Ibay, Jose Antonio F. Roxas, Noel C. Bayona, Arnel Regino T. Arceo, Editha V. Vergel De Dios, Marie Irish P. Pineda, and Greg Paolo N. Alcera; Private contractors Ernesto Salvador (owner, LEG Hauling Services), Joel Ycasas (president, Excellent Transport Services, Inc.), Jeremy Paguia (owner, Solid Waste Alternative Tech), Ma. Marilou Baltazar (owner, RM Maintenance Services) and Alexander Tantoco (president, Greenline Envirotech Philippines). Trinidad, Salvador, Ycasas, Paguia, Baltazar, Tantoco were also ordered separately charged with two more counts of for violation of Section 3(e) of RA 3019. Three counts of direct bribery were also filed against Trinidad, while two counts of direct bribery were each filed against Calixto, Advincula, Ibay, Roxas, Bayona, Arceo, Vergel De Dios, Pineda and Alcera. Monthly 'kickbacks' The Ombudsman also said there was "sufficient evidence" based on the testimonies of Councilor Antonia Cuneta and Generoso Cuneta that would establish "probable cause" to charge Trinidad, Calixto and the others for bribery. Based on the testimonies, Trinidad allegedly received a monthly "kickback" of P520,000; Calixto, P260,000; and the councilors, P130,000. "The contracts involved millions of pesos. Respondent Trinidad would always ask for contract extensions and the Sanggunian would willingly give it in exchange for the monthly kickbacks," the Ombudsman said in its resolution. The Ombudsman added that the fact that Calixto's "inaction" showed that he was "part of the grand scheme of the public officers and private respondents, in order that they would be assured that they would be awarded contracts, and the latter making sure that they would continue receiving monthly salaries." Contracts voided In January 2004, the Sangguniang Panglungsod passed a resolution declaring the contracts as void because they were entered into without the approved budget and for being overpriced and prejudicial to the government. One month later, in February, the Sanggunian passed a resolution authorizing Trinidad to extend the contract for a period not exceeding ninety days. However, Trinidad later entered into contracts for a period of six months, instead of the authorized 90 day extension, "in the guise of restoring vital services pursuant to RA 9184 (Government Procurement Reform Act)." - VVP, GMA News
  • LOADING CONTENT