THE City Council Monday adopted a resolution requesting the Honorable City Mayor Mauricio Domogan to take the lead in investigating the alleged involvement of some city government personnel in an election fraud case filed by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) against several personalities in the city.
The approved measure stemmed from a proposed resolution introduced by City Councilor Richard Cariño calling for an investigation into the alleged tampering of the May 2013 election ballots, election returns, and ballot boxes under the custody of the Office of the City Treasurer. In the said proposal Councilor Cariño is also requesting that the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) be the agency to conduct the said investigation.
Councilor Cariño as well as some of the other members of the august body were in agreement during their deliberation of the proposal that an investigation is in order, considering that the suit filed by the COMELEC included several alleged employees of the City Government, and that what is at stake is the integrity of the Office of the City Treasurer which is in charge of the custody of the said election materials. On the other hand other members of the council during the discussion also raised the propriety of the city conducting a separate probe on the matter as well as asking the NBI to undertake the investigation.
Earlier the law department of the COMELEC sued former Tarlac vice governor Margarita Cojuangco and 14 others for several counts of election offenses over their participation in the theft and tampering of official ballots in Baguio City.
After a lengthy discussion on the above matter, Councilor Cariño acceded to an amendment of his proposal, as suggested by City councilor Peter Fianza, to state that it will be the City Mayor who will take the lead role in the said investigation aided by the NBI.
Meanwhile, the city council failed to approve a recommendation by the Committee on Market, Trade and Commerce chaired by City Councilor Elaine Sembrano denying the proposal for the conduct of a carnival at the Ganza Parking area at Burnham Park and instead relented and allowed the conduct of “amusement rides” in the said place for three months.
Citing that the proposal of Septem Adamas may not really be a carnival but merely the installation of several amusement rides within the Ganza/Jadewell Parking area in Burnham Park, as well as ostensibly providing recreational enjoyment to the residents and visitors of Baguio, the august body decided not to approve the recommendation of denial by the Committee on Market, Trade and Commerce and substituted thru motion its approval of the said proposal.
During the discussion by the august body, the General Manager of Septem Adamas, Ms. Maricar Mendoza bared – upon query on whether they solicited the indorsement of the City Mayor for their proposal – that they had an earlier audience with the Mayor who told them that they should obtain the approval of the city council before their proposal can be considered. Ms. Mendoza also presented to the august body a letter signed by the general manager of JadeWell Parking Systems supposedly allowing them use of the parking area for their activity.
The approval by the council of the said “amusement rides” at the Ganza/Jadewell Parking Area is subject to several conditions imposed by the body which include among others, additional “rides”, no trade fair shall be conducted, that the 100 stalls to be erected shall be for food and recreational and entertainment stalls only, and that no form of illegal gambling shall be allowed.
Finally, the said resolution adopted by the city council on the above matter will be forwarded to the Mayor for his approval.