Thursday, September 11, 2008 Baquerfo appeals for help from Gwen, cardinal
ROGELIO Baquerfo Jr.’s imminent takeover as mayor of Tudela town in Camotes suffered another hitch yesterday.
Instead of returning to his office as the town’s chief executive, Baquerfo sought the help of Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal and Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia to “persuade” Demetrio Granada to vacate his office “peacefully.”
If Granada peacefully relinquishes his office, this will ensure “that loss of life will be avoided,” Baquerfo wrote in his letter.
Also yesterday, Baquerfo filed a complaint for malversation of public funds against 30 officials of Tudela, Camotes Island.
He filed the complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas, asking the anti-graft court to investigate the alleged misuse of P5,510,073.47 during Granada’s term.
Baquerfo also asked the ombudsman to order the preventive suspension of the 30 officials. Granada, former Tudela mayor, faces a criminal complaint while 29 others face both criminal and administrative complaints.
The respondents include Vice Mayor Clint Maratas and seven municipal councilors—Meldred Otadoy, Dioscoro Uy, Oscar Solante, Erwin Yu, Antero Portarcos, Tomas Orge and Francisco Orge.
‘Threat’
The only Sangguniang Bayan member excluded from the complaint was Amphil Belacho, Baquerfo’s lone ally in the council. Baquerfo explained that Belcaho was excluded because the latter was not a councilor during Granada’s term.
After evaluating the town’s situation, Baquerfo acknowledged that “possible bloodshed is inevitable” if Vidal and Garcia do not intervene.
Baquerfo has been announcing since Monday that he will certainly return to his post as Tudela mayor.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) First Division recently stopped the court from carrying out its ruling that declared Granada the winner over Baquerfo in the May 2007 elections.
However, Baquerfo lamented that Granada has stayed in place and “even threatened by saying, ‘Over my dead body, I will never relinquish my position as mayor of Tudela, Cebu’,” said Baquerfo.
He asked Governor Garcia and Cardinal Vidal to assist him in his scheduled takeover by asking Granada to “peacefully” vacate his office.
Margin
Comelec First Division Presiding Commissioner Rene Sarmiento ruled that despite the ruling of Regional Trial Court Edito Enemecio, declaring Granada the winner by 13 votes, it was “not a safe” margin.
Sarmiento granted the petition for certiorari filed by lawyers Noel Archival and Mundlyn Martin, who asked the Comelec to review the motion for execution pending appeal, filed by Granada.
As to the new complaint, Baquerfo said that “anomalous transactions” were what provoked it.
He quoted a Commission on Audit (COA) report saying that 11 Tudela town projects during Granada’s term defied provisions laid down by the Department of Interior and Local Government and the Department of Budget and Management.
Greman Solante, the town’s ex-oficio Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) president, was included in the complaint, along with eight barangay captains: Lorenzo Solante, Fernando Solano, Noel Sano, Pedrito Rosal, Presicilo Lativo, Melca Lativo, Eladio Portarcos and Fermin Sultan.
Barangay Captains Ignacio Labayan Jr. and Arnie Yamas were spared from the complaint, with Baquerfo stating in his affidavit that the two did not “partake of the anomalous transactions.”
Wiped out
Baquerfo also criticized the town officials for allegedly failing to submit documents relating to the purchase of materials worth P826,554.12, and for presenting bid documents that regional state auditors called “deficient.”
If Baquerfo does get a preventive suspension order, he will have to deal with 30 substitutes or replacements in the municipal government.
Also named in his complaint were town secretary Sostenes Estrera, municipal accountant Marily del Socorro, budget officer Felicilda Sano, officer-in-charge treasurer Restituto Arguedo and local civil registrar and Bids and Awards Committee member Araceli Tudtud.
Several department heads and other municipal workers also face the complaint: agricultural officer Victorina Nocellas, engineer Pedro Cisneros, health officer Dr. Jose Bardelas, development officer Emerito Labajo and ex-property custodian disbursing officer Flor Delito Serato.
Isabelita Polancos, Department of Social Welfare and Development worker and Noel Labayan, a casual worker at the vice-mayor’s office, were also included in the complaint.
“The aforementioned officials had defrauded the government through their unholy alliances (and) syndicated corruption,” Baquerfo’s affidavit-complaint read. (KAB/GMD)
