San Pedro City mayor faces new raps

Plunder charges were filed against San Pedro City, Laguna Mayor Art Francis Joseph Mercado and his council before the Office of the Ombudsman for allegedly committing another violation of the plunder law — but this time it was filed by a private citizen on Tuesday.

Former San Pedro Cityhall Public Order and Safety Office employee Jason Vierneza went to the Ombudsman to file violation of Republic Act (R.A.) 7080 or the plunder law, R.A. 3019 or the anti-graft and corrupt practices act as well as for gross inexcusable negligence and grave misconduct.

Vierneza, who resigned last July after almost 19 years in the service, expressed dismay to Mercado and his city council for the alleged purchase of a 22,500 square-meter property land located in barangay Landayan in San Pedro without the specific plan and the proper legal proceedings.

According to the 14-page complaint plus annexes of evidence submitted by Vierneza, the amount of the parcel land bought was P135,000,000 or P6,000 per square-meter last 20 April 2023, based on the disbursement voucher of the San Pedro Cityhall.

Vierneza also claimed that the purchased land property was overpriced — compared to the original 1,300 per square-meter for a total of P29,500,000 million-offer by former San Pedro City mayor Lourdes Cataquiz three years ago.

Aside from Mercado, Vierneza also filed alleged plunder charges against Vice Mayor Divina Olivarez, councilorsMichael 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.

Attorney Melvin Matibag, Vierneza’s lawyer in filing the plunder case, said, “Land banking is not the job of the local government under Mayor Art [Mercado], who bought another land property without a purpose. It was the second time that they did it after they acquired the land property in Laram also for future development or for future use.”

“It cannot be. Under the law, it is prohibited to buy a land property if there is no specific use or plan for it, if there are many informal settlers, and if it is a flood prone area. This is a flood prone area beside the Laguna Lake,” he added.

This was the second time that a plunder case was filed against Mercado, Olivarez, and their council after City Councilor Carlon “Lonlon” Ambayec filed that case against them for purchasing a land property in barangay Laram worth P73,644,000 million without any specific plan.

Matibag added that there was no any specific plan for the purchase of that land property in Laram — same also on barangay Landayan — whether they use the land for the construction of a public hospital, school, government offices and housing, among other infrastructures.