Saturday, May 24, 2008 'No evidence to link Baluran to corruption'
THERE is "no convincing evidence" implicating Councilor Conrado Baluran of corrupt practices such that of currying favor as accused by Councilor Bonifacio Militar a few months ago.
City Council Ethics Committee Chair Diosdado Angelo Mahipus, who is set to present the report of its hearings on the matter, bared this to members of the City Council.
Militar has claimed corruption as the main reason of his resignation as floor leader at the time when there was a move to oust him. The implied corruption in the City Council was spurred by the contents of his resignation letter last February.
"I anchor this decision on my refusal to be docile with attempts of violating the rules or existing. Nor would I permit that my name would be implicated or tarnished by any anomalous or questionable legislation," as stated in the second paragraph of Militar's letter dated February 15, 2008.
Mahipus, in a text message, said he will report to the body on Tuesday's regular session.
Militar, however, has clarified earlier that he did not mean there was collusion among his colleagues in an attempt to violate house rules, but pinpointed Baluran as the person who made these attempts.
"There were three cases of attempts as far as I can remember. But since I did not give in, he started to campaign for my replacement as Floor Leader," Militar said.
He said the first one was when Baluran asked him to pass an item under suspended rules.
Baluran, for his part, admitted to approaching Militar for various reasons, but he denied ever campaigning for Militar's ouster. (GLP)
