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Thursday, March 25, 2004
One more aide of John linked to drug issue
CEBU CITY -- Another staff member of Cebu Vice Gov. John Gregory Osmeņa surfaced as an authorized representative of the Coastside Ventures Inc., linking Osmeņa further to the pseudoephedrine controversy.
Rorela T. Villegas represented Coastside as a lessee in a contract of lease for the warehouse of J. King and Sons Company Inc. on Hernan Cortes St. in Mandaue City.
Reporters noted that her signature in her personal data sheet also appeared in some Perdido Lex Foundation Inc. documents.
Perdido Lex, a bogus non-government organization, was able to get P5 million last year from the vice governor's discretionary funds for its "Touch Young Minds" computerization program.
Villegas may be the key to unravel the identity of Perdido Lex president Milagros Herrera, as Villegas was a witness to the signing of the memorandum of agreement between Capitol and Perdido Lex.
Villegas, in her personal data sheet, stated that she had also worked as clerk for Occidental Cebu General Services, where Joebert Cuesta was manager. Cuesta is another Osmeņa aide.
Cuesta's name appeared in the certificate PDEA issued that Coastside Ventures is allowed to import the controlled chemical used in making medicines, as well as the illegal drug shabu.
Coastside is listed as the consignee of the 1,700 kilos of pseudoephedrine, which arrived in Cebu from China last March 5 and was seized by PDEA and the Bureau of Customs last March 17.
Cuesta showed up at the National Bureau of Investigaion (NBI) 7 Wednesday morning to clarify a report that he was the president of Coastside Ventures, as stated in a PDEA certification.
To clear the issue, lawyer Rodolfo Acido, Cuesta's counsel, said they already requested the NBI 7 to secure a copy of the alleged letter-request of Cuesta to the PDEA.
Acido said his client and the Cuesta in the Philippine Anti-Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) certification are not one and the same person. He added that his client is willing to face a full-blown investigation.
In Manila, Sen. John Henry Osmeņa urged the authorities to make the investigation swift, saying he personally found it difficult that his only son has been dragged into the mess.
PDEA has declared illegal the shipment of pseudoephedrine, which if made into shabu will fetch P3.4 billion in the street market. The shipment lacks special import permit. (See related story)
For his part, NBI 7 Chief Reynaldo Esmeralda clarified that the bureau has no authority to clear the company in the shipment of pseudoehpedrine. He said Gov. Pablo Garcia was only misinformed.
"I only said that the cargo may be legal because of the (company's) license. But I did not clear anybody because only the task force chairman can do that," Esmeralda said.
Just like in the Perdido Lex issue, Osmeņa's camp also now points to his rival in the gubernatorial post, Gwendolyn Garcia, as behind in the accusations against him.
In response, Gwendolyn said Wednesday, "What? Me again? John-john and his mouthpiece both make me out to be a superwoman who can orchestrate people and events. Labaw paman silas nangampanya para nako nga labihan ko ka bright ug labihan ko ka visionary. Unsa man, gusto sila mag campaign manager nako?"
Osmeņa was earlier tagged as behind the bogus Perdido Lex Foundation. The Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas has yet to release to the public the conclusion of its investigation on the case.
Two aides of the vice governor are now linked to both Coastside and Perdido Lex-Villegas and Cuesta.
While Villegas' family name appears as "Villeagas" in the contract of lease, her signature, which appeared in the right portion of the document, was handwritten as "Villegas."
Villegas' address is at 74 Sikatuna St., Cebu City.
The contract of lease stated that the private firm represented by Susan K. Bernardo as the lessor, authorizes Coastside Venture to rent warehouse E-19 of J. King Warehouse Complex.
It is good one year starting July 1, 2003 until June 30 this year, with P44,000 as the monthly rental to be paid every fifth day of the month.
Sonny won't intervene
Meanwhile, Sen. John Osmena said Wednesday he will not intervene in an illegal drug controversy involving his son, John Osmeņa.
Likewise, Senator Osmeņa also urged law enforcement agencies to expedite the case and file necessary charges against his son, if proven guilty of the case. He warned those who will drag his name in this controversy.
"Ang hiling ko lang sa kanila, ay madaliin nila ang kaso kasi mahirap para sa akin, kandidato ako sa pagkasenador (All I ask if they speed up investigation of the case because it is difficult for me since I am running for senator). That's all I ask do your job, do it quick regardless of the consequences, regardless of who is going to be involved. I will not intervene in any decision," the senator said.
Senator Osmeņa admitted that he is not in good terms with his son since he voiced his intention for run for governor in the May elections.
He said he tried to discourage his son from running for governor because he is too young but John Gregory pursued his political ambition.
"He accused me of refusing to support him, he said some things that hurt me and he also said he would rather ally himself with the other party because I do not know how to make him win. Whatever it is, our relationship is not good," Senator Osmeņa said in the dialect.
Senator Osmeņa, who is running for another term under the administration coalition, also appealed to his son not to drag his name in the illegal drug controversy because his candidacy would be affected, especially that the issue is very delicate matter.
Vice Governor Osmeņa allegedly tried to mediate for the release of a shipment containing 60 drums of chemicals used in making shabu imported from China.
Based on the reports, one of Vice Governor Osmeņa's friends heads the firm that imported the chemicals amounting to P3.6 billion. JPM/Garry Cabotaje/Jeanette P. Malinao
(March 25, 2004 issue)
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