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Sunday, February 08, 2004
Mayor, solon deny P1 million bribe claim
By Yuri Locsin
BOTH Mayor Vicente Emano and Cagayan de Oro First Dist. Rep. Constantino Jaraula debunked a claim that a daughter of a congressman was present when a P1 million offer was made to one of the 10 suspects made to join a shame parade.
In separate radio interviews, Jaraula said his daughter couldn't have been with lawyer James Judith at the Maharlika Detention Center at the time the offer was made since some of his daughters are in Manila with two others in the U.S.
The claim was made by inmate Frederick Lloren who backed out of the case.
Judith is said to have filed charges against Emano and Acting City Police Director Antonio Montalba before the Ombudsman.
Ten more suspects are scheduled to be presented before the mayor's office last week but have not been held for still unexplained reasons.
Earlier Judith denied the claim saying he never had such money and that he was accompanied by his female cousin at the detention center.
"Maybe they are just making that issue to create a conflict between Emano and me," Jaraula said. Emano agreed saying it is really impossible that Jaraula's daughter is involved.
"It is really bizarre if Jaraula would let his daughter accompany the lawyer who was supporting the opposition," Emano said.
Atty. Roderito Villaroya, acting spokesperson of PDP Laban then said they don't have the money to make a P1 million bribe to each of the 10 inmates.
"Our party never had that huge amount...we never had any money at all," Villaroya said.
The lawyer said even if they belong to opposite sides of the political spectrum they have one common goal and that is to eradicate criminality in Cagayan de Oro.
"If the bribe offer is true then we would only abet the criminals in committing more crimes," Villaroya said.
Montalba for his part denied the charges that they forced Lloren to back out of the case saying the inmate did it of his own free will.
"He did it voluntarily and he made his affidavit before so he bailed himself out," Montalba said, adding that it is not his style to harass inmates in order to get what he wants from them.
(February 8, 2004 issue)
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