FATHER-AND-SON CONSPIRACY? More graft cases filed vs. Defensors

A STAUNCH critic of Iloilo Governor Arthur D. Defensor Sr. filed heaped more graft cases against the governor and his son and namesake, third district Rep. Arthur “Toto” Defensor Jr.

Former Iloilo provincial administrator Manuel “Boy” Mejorada filed the complaints against father and son before the Office of the Ombudsman on Nov 15, 2018.

Mejorada asked the Ombudsman to investigate the Defensors for alleged violation of Section 3 (e) of Republic Act 3019 (Anti-graft and Corrupt Practices Act), technical malversation, violation of the Omnibus Election Code, serious dishonesty, grave misconduct, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

The case stemmed from delayed release of funds for the completion of the Dumangas-Balabag Provincial Road in the municipality of Dumangas in 2013.

Rep. Toto Defensor was the proponent of the project while Gov. Defensor Sr. was the implementer.

The P5-million funding for the project was covered by Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) No. G-11-02160 dated December 22, 2011. The funds came from the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel funds allotted to lawmakers.

Mejorada claimed that the Defensor administration implemented the project in March 2013, or 14 months after the national government released the funds.

He alleged that the project may have been used in electioneering because Defensor was seeking re-election against Rep. Ferjenel Biron of the fourth congressional district where the town of Dumangas belongs.

“December 2011 pa ang SARO kag nabaton sang probinsya ang pondo ginhulat nila sobra 14 months. Ginhulat ang March 2013, before election, kag iimplement ang project nga ini,” Mejorada said.

Mejorada said he has nothing personal against the Defensors as he is only consistent in exposing graft and corruption in government.

“Ang akon ‘ya is to expose ang anomalies,” he said.

This is the latest in the string of cases Mejorada filed against the Defensors.

On Oct 18, 2018, he also sued the governor for technical malversation of public funds under Article 220 of the Revised Penal Code, violation of Section 3 (e) and (g) of RA No. 3019 and violation of Section 1 (2) of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Resolution No. 9585, series of 2012.

These cases stemmed from the more than P17 million disbursed by the Defensor administration for financial, educational, medical and burial assistance during the 2013 election campaign period, Mejorada claimed.

The complaints against the governor continued to pile up as Mejorada filed additional complaints on Oct 30, 2018:

67 counts of technical malversation as defined by Article 220 of the Revised Penal Code;67 counts of violation of Section 3 (a), (e) and (g) of Republic Act No. 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act);14 counts of violation of Section 1, paragraph 2 of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) Resolution No. 9585 or the implementing rules of the Omnibus Election Code;serious dishonesty; grave misconduct; gross neglect of duty; and conduct of prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

These cases, on the other hand, are related to the release of financial aids to people’s organization (POs) and non-government organizations (NGOs), which were sourced from the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP), in the middle of the 2013 election campaign period.

The Supreme Court has declared DAP as illegal and unconstitutional.

DISQUALIFICATION

Mejorada also signified his plan to file a disqualification case against Rep. Arthur “Toto” Defensor Jr., citing his recent complaint.

Rep. Defensor Jr. is seeking to replace his father as governor under the Partido Demkratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) in the May 2019 elections.

Mejorada said violation of election laws is a ground for the disqualification of candidates.

“Violation  of Omnibus Election code, that is a ground for disqualification,” he said.

He said he might the disqualification suit with the Commission on Elections next month.

“Ginakompleto ko pa ang mga papeles,” he added.

Meanwhile, Gov. Defensor questioned Mejorada’s allegations on the PDAF issue saying that his son represents the third district while the subject road project is in Dumangas in the fourth district.

“Wala na si (Cong) Toto sang PDAF sa Dumangas kay Fourth District na ya,” Gov Defensor said.

Defensor said that they are also preparing a libel case against Mejorada.

“May ginpreparar kami nga libel case sa iya kay gintawag ya ako nga … ang kaso ko kuno pangawat. Pasakaan ko na siya sang kaso kay ina ya indi ko na na ‘ya matolerar,” Defensor said in a press conference on Nov 15, 2018.

He said that he is used to criticisms since he joined government service and politics.

“You should expect nga indi lang nga ginadayaw ka adlaw adlaw. Maabot guid ang tyempo nga ginakritikar ka man. Indi ko lang gusto ang pato-patoan ako. Kay buhat-buhatan ako sang mga binutig nga mga akusasyon. Amo na ang ginahimo ni Mejorada subong,” he said.

“That’s why I said he is the most notorious journalist diri sa  probinsya kag syodad sang Iloilo and I’m saying it again: he is a disgrace to the profession.”

The governor also accused Mejorada of having political motives in filing the cases.

But Mejorada denied the accusations.

“Indi ini political. In the first place, indi ako kandidato, indi man siya kandidato so ang akon nakita ta ini nga mga dokumento. These are all based on official documents gikan sa capitol,” he said.

SOURCE: The Daily Guardian

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