Tuesday, April 03, 2007 Order v. Ted recalls similar probe v. Pedong By Aledel Gonzalez-Cuizon Sun.Star Staff Reporter
JUST as he became city mayor like his father, Mandaue City Mayor Thadeo “Teddy” Ouano also followed in his father’s footsteps as a local chief executive who got suspended by the Ombudsman.
On Sept. 22, 1992, then mayor Alfredo “Pedong” Ouano was suspended over charges of falsification of documents.
Pedong received the suspension order, which was served by the local police chief, at the Ouano residence.
Not unique
The issue on overpricing is also not unique to the present administration.
During Pedong’s term, he was also subjected to an investigation for the purchase of an allegedly overpriced piece of property in Barangay Looc.
Three city councilors had filed a complaint against Pedong and 16 others before the Office of the Ombudsman for buying the lot for a price that was allegedly bigger than its appraised value.
Until now, the case remains pending before the Sandiganbayan.
In its Sept. 23, 1992 issue, Sun.Star’s banner story was on Ouano’s suspension.
It bore a photo of Pedong receiving the suspension order from then police chief Florante Baguio.
Suspended without pay were Pedong and then vice mayor Paterno Cañete, councilor Rafael Mayol, budget officer Pedro Guido and city treasurer Justo Ouano.
They were respondents in a complaint filed by then city councilors Magno Dionson and Gaudiosa Bercede.
The complaint alleged that an ordinance of the City Council was altered by the respondents.
The ordinance appropriated some P3.49 million for the salaries of City Hall casual employees. The amount was chargeable against the approved supplemental budget.
Copy
Dionson and Bercede said they received a copy of the ordinance that was approved on the same date but the amount reflected on it was P7 million.
The supplemental budget was also changed to a higher amount.
Dionson, now 84 years old, is running for city mayor while Bercede’s son, incumbent City Councilor Glenn Bercede, is running for vice mayor.
On Oct. 31, 1995, SunStar reported that then vice mayor Demetrio Cortes Jr. and city councilors Diosdado Suico and Gaudiosa Bercede filed a complaint against Ouano and 16 others before the Office of the Ombudsman for the purchase of a 3,000-square-meter lot in Looc.
According to the complaint, the property had a market value of some P10,000 but the City purchased it for almost P11 million, or an overprice of almost P10 million.
The complainants said the respondents are liable for gross negligence, dereliction of duty, serious misconduct in office, grave abuse of authority and violation of the Revised Charter of the Civil Service Law.
According to the article, Pedong said the land deal had clearance from Malacañang and it met requirements set by the Commission on Audit.
