Ex-City consultant arrested

Saturday, December 3, 2011

AFTER his arrest, former City Hall consultant Romeo Cordova was freed upon orders of the court late yesterday afternoon. He posted a P10,000 cash bond.

Judge Pamela Baring-Uy issued the release order even as she set the schedule for the hearings the usurpation of public functions charge that resulted in his arrest.

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Police arrested Cordova yesterday afternoon for allegedly terminating the services of an employee.

Operatives of Investigation and Detective Management Branch (IDMB) served the warrant of arrest against Cordova in his residence in Barangay Punta Princesa, Cebu City at 1:45 p.m.

The warrant was issued by Municipal Trial Court (MTC) Branch 6 Judge Pamela Baring-Uy last Oct. 3.

Police only received the warrant yesterday morning, said IDMB chief Bonifacio Garciano.

Rep. Tomas Osmeña (Cebu City, south) welcomes the action taken by the authorities. He said Cordova should answer the complaint he filed against him.

Osmeña believes Cordova had no legal right when he relieved Christiam Hembra last March as South Road Properties (SRP) security manager.

“Consultant lang siya and he ordered the transfer of Christian to somewhere else, so, tubaga lang ang kaso (Just answer the charges),” Osmeña said.

Hembra was transferred to the Squatters Prevention Encroachment and Elimination Division (Speed) but he never reported for work as he took a leave of absence and eventually resigned last June 1.

Osmeña got angry when he learned that Hembra was replaced by Florence Balungcas, a midwife, prompting him to file a complaint.

Osmeña got mad with the transfer, since he was satisfied with Hembra’s performance, saying the SRP was well-managed under his leadership.

Hembra, for his part, said he already forgave Cordova but that he should face the complaint.

Hembra is now connected with the Land Transportation Office (LTO) 7 after he resigned from City Hall.

Mayor Michael Rama questioned the issuance of the warrant of arrest against his former security consultant.

Rama was dismayed that Cordova wasn’t given a chance to file a counter-affidavit.

Osmeña said, though, Cordova ignored the complaint and it was only proper that he was arrested.

Rama, who didn’t renew the consultancy contract of Cordova when it expired last June, promised to help his former security consultant.

Osmeña filed the complaint that led to the case last May 29. He filed a separate complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas.

Osmeña’s gripe is that Cordova exercised functions beyond that of an ordinary City Hall consultant by taking over the Civil Security Unit of City Hall, which handles security for the South Road Properties (SRP).

Cordova then reassigned the person Osmeña believes should remain in charge of security at the SRP, Hembra, and told people there that they were not to report to Balungcas.

“Mr. Hembra had been in the employ of the City Government in charge of the security of the South Road projects; as head of SRP Security, Mr. (Hembra) has provided effective leadership in manning the SRP and has aptly attended to the security needs of the only multibillion peso property of the city,” Osmeña said.

Conversely, he said, Balungcas has “limited, if not a total lack of knowledge of the security details of the SRP. “

The Office of the Cebu City Prosecutor found basis to elevate Osmeña’s complaint to court last August, with Assistant City Prosecutor Roy Carrillo saying the respondent’s employment to the City Government at that time was merely in an “advisory capacity.”

“(The) respondent performed an act pertaining to a person in authority or public officer. As a consultant of the City, respondent does not have the power to perform executive functions,” Carrillo said.

Still, in his resolution, Carrillo acknowledged that the resolution to file the case in court is based solely on the allegations and evidences of the congressman.

He said Cordova, being no longer in City Hall at the time of the preliminary investigation, could not be subpoenaed.

“Mosikat napud ko ani (I will be famous again for this)?” Cordova said in jest when he was brought to the police. He was smiling.

After his fingerprints were taken, Cordova said he was surprised by his arrest.

“I didn’t know I have a warrant. I was never furnished a subpoena,” he said.

He was shown by the warrant and was immediately taken into custody.

Asked how he felt about the complaint filed by his former boss, Cordova said, “Kinsa man nga former boss (Who)?” He later acknowledged it was Osmeña, whom he worked with for almost a decade.

“I would never have worked for this long if I was fooling around,” Cordova said.

Asked about his relationship with the former mayor now, he didn’t answer, other than saying Osmeña was his mentor and he only wished for his health.

“Wa ko nahadlok aning kasoha kay kahibaw ko nga wala ko’y sala (I am not afraid of this case because I know I am innocent),” he said.