Mayor defends husband’s role in Asean lamppost purchase

LAPU-LAPU City Rep. Arturo Radaza had no role in the purchase of allegedly overpriced lampposts in 2007 but was implicated to possibly keep the attention away from higher officials who might be involved in the anomaly, his wife, Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza, said yesterday.

Mayor Radaza, in her regular news briefing, said she and her husband were elated after the Sandiganbayan dismissed the graft charges against him.

“Wa man gyu’y labot si Congressman Boy (Arturo) ug mga local officials. Gihatag ra man na sa national ang lamppost. Of course, gi-accept lang ni Congressman (The congressman and other officials had no involvement. The National Government gave the lampposts and, of course, Congressman Radaza accepted them),” she said.

According to the anti-graft office, the government lost millions in the purchase of the decorative lampposts that were installed along the streets of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu during the Association of Southeast Nations Summit in 2007. Congressman Radaza was then mayor of Lapu-Lapu.

The anti-graft court dismissed the case against him and 12 other officials last Jan.
17. According to the decision, the Ombudsman failed to prove that the lampposts were overpriced and even admitted that further investigation is still needed.

The Ombudsman failed to submit information on other crucial costs such as labor and transportation, the decision said.

“The Visayas Ombudsman’s refusal to provide us with the entire copy of their findings has exposed the haphazard conduct of the probe … The dismissal of the case against us also exposed the reality that we were not party of the project,” said Congressman Radaza earlier.