http://www.thenewstoday.info/2009/08/13/lawyer.resurrects.ombudsman.graft.plaint.vs.tupas.aide.html
Aug. 13, 2009
MANGGARANON C BOY:
“One voucher for instance showed three payments made to “Boy Mejorada” in April 2005 that totaled P116,115,50. The voucher was prepared by a Chelo Mae Tagsa, HN Trading Accounting/Human Resource Department staff. Another voucher also showed Mejorada’s cut of P58,588.20 for the quarry proceeds from 79 trucks in March 2005. Mejorada’s share here was P600 per truck and the same share for the delivery of 40 trucks amounting to P29,666 also in March 2005.”
And now for the complete story:
Remember the 10% quarry commission brouhaha courtesy of top governor’s aide Manuel Mejorada? Remember the criminal and administrative complaints against the governor and same aide over mis-use of Capitol funds through Capitol radio blocktime program, “Capitol in Action”?
| Try no more for yesterday an Ilonggo lawyer “resurrected” the cases and the complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman in the Visayas. |
In doing so, lawyer Joviel Edama, Associate of the Soriano, Sy & Simora Law Office sought for a case update bringing to light Capitol “ghosts from the past.”
Edama was a former Associate of known lawyer – writer Cornelio Panes who passed away in April. Cases left unresolved by the Panes, Panes & Edama Law Office were then turned over to him including those pending before the Ombudsman.
Among the principal cases personally pursued by Panes where he stood as complainant himself were the Tupas – Mejorada Capitol matters.
Mejorada was hurled before the Ombudsman for his role as “commissioner” in a quarry operation of businessman James Ang of HN Trading.
To recall, Mejorada’s boss, Governor Tupas called for an in-house Capitol investigation where Mejorada admitted as much to the 10% commission deal.
The Provincial Legal Office (PLO) fact-finding team in its report cited how Mejorada admitted to a “business partnership” with former quarry runner Niel “Lito” Jimena. It was Jimena who squealed on the Mejorada 10% quarry commission.
Further still, the PLO wrote that Mejorada “went on to admit that he had a direct del with James Ang though as “middleman” who contacted truckers or owners of hauling businesses to deliver quarry materials to James Ang who in turn sold them to Taishi.”
“Taishi” or Taisei –Shimizu were the contractors of the new Iloilo airport project.
“Mejorada further told this Committee that he got paid by Ang as commission, P10 for every cubic meter delivered to the latter by the truckers,” the PLO report went. “Helping him in that deal with Ang was Jimena as business partner, specifically “runner” who collected his commission from Ang.
Mejorada could not “exactly” recall how many times did Jimena deliver checks to him and the exact amount of monies he got in commission but he did inform this Committee that he has given Jimena some P25,000 as the latter’s “share” in the partnership. That business partnership, however, is now dissolved, as the Mejorada – Jimena relationship soured.”
Admission and all, the PLO though only admonished Mejorada stating “he should be reminded from engaging in a similar activity so as to be above suspicion.”
That apparently closed the case as far the governor’s investigation was concerned. Yet for Edama, seeking anew the Ombudsman’s action meant the continuance of the probe as earlier sought.
Edama in the death of Panes manifested now his intent to take over and be the substitute as complainant.
Among the evidences submitted by Panes and resubmitted by Edama were HN Trading vouchers and a check showing and confirming Mejorada’s commissions.
One voucher for instance showed three payments made to “Boy Mejorada” in April 2005 that totaled P116,115,50. The voucher was prepared by a Chelo Mae Tagsa, HN Trading Accounting/Human Resource Department staff. Another voucher also showed Mejorada’s cut of P58,588.20 for the quarry proceeds from 79 trucks in March 2005. Mejorada’s share here was P600 per truck and the same share for the delivery of 40 trucks amounting to P29,666 also in March 2005.
Meantime, the same Manifestation from Edama on the “Capitol in Action” program that dragged both Mejorada and his boss, Governor Tupas in the Ombudsman complaint.
The complaint pointed out the purpose of the “Capitol in Action” blocktime program which was designed and supposedly aimed at advocacy for public’s payment of taxes.
Yet as presented to the Ombudsman, said radio program was used “ to the personal and political benefits of both public respondents by way of useless blabber maligning and attacking other public officials including some members of Congress.”
adoboilonggo.wordpress.com 