San Pedro City local officials in hot water

A San Pedro City, Laguna City councilor has filed graft complaints against elected officials of the city for allegedly violating Republic Act 7080 and Republic Act 3019 or Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act following the alleged purchase of property in the city without proper legal proceedings.

San Pedro San Pedro City Councilor Carlon Ambayec has filed the charges before the Office of the Ombudsman last week against Mayor Art Francis Joseph Mercado, Vice Mayor Divina Olivarez and other local officials of the city.

The councilor disclosed that Mercado and the other elected officials allegedly authorized to buy a 12,274 square meters property land amounting to P73,644,000 in Barangay Laram, San Pedro City without the proper legal proceedings.

He added that the purchased property – allegedly amounting to more than P70 million -- was allegedly overpriced and there are informal settlers in the area.

Ambayec explained that when a government buy a property, a relocation plan shall be provided to the informal settlers.

“I did not sign their resolution because it was the people or the taxpayers’ money that they would use. They said the lot will be for government’s various future projects. That’s a ridiculously huge amount they spent, which could be spent for other projects beneficial to the people of San Pedro,” said Ambayec.

Aside from Mercado and Olivarez, Ambayec also filed plunder charges on fellow City councilors Michael Casacop, Sheriliz Almoro, Joie Chelsea Villegas, Leslie Lu, Atty. Mark Oliveros, Aldrin Mercado, Bernadette Olivarez, Jose Mendoza and Vincent Solidum.

San Pedro City’s ex-officio member of Sangunian Panglungsod President of Liga ng mga Barangay Diwa Tayao and Sangunian SK Federation President Raphael Ty, city administrator’s Atty. Henry Salazar, and 12 other city officials were also dragged in the case.

“They bought the property without clearly telling us if we would be building an infrastructure like hospital, school, housing, or any government offices. The local government cannot buy any land property if they do not specify their plans for it. I know that is not allowed,” Ambayec said.

He stressed that there was allegedly no appointment of board of assessors to assess the acquired property aside from not having it in their annual investment plan, adding that a reason and purpose should be specified when the city government decides to purchase a property.