MikeLigalig.com

by People's Journal   
Monday, 21 June 2010 20:13
VICE President Noli de Castro and officials of the National Housing Authority- Home Guaranty Corporation and the owners of a construction company were charged with plunder before the Ombudsman over the alleged midnight deal in connection with the Smokey Mountain Reclamation Project worth P6 billion.

In a 22-page affidavit, Allan Pojas Ramos charged De Castro along with NHA general manager Federico Laxa, HGC executives and Reghis and Michael Romero, both owners of R-II Builders. 

Ramos’ lawyer Ricky Gabrillo said the respondents blatantly violated the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and Republic Act 7080 or the Plunder Law.     

Gabrillo said De Castro wanted the government to pay R-II Builders P4 billion despite the fact that the project was not completed.          Under the “anomalous” Memorandum of Agreement and Compromise Agreement acquired by the complainant, the government stand to lose a huge amount of money since the NHA had to pay R-II Builders more than P4 billion, way above its capital spent for the project which was P200 million.

Gabrillo added that the government had earlier paid R-II Builders P806 million for the Smokey Mountain reclamation project and construction of low-cost housing.

“Kung nalagdaan ang MOA, mawawalan ng pananagutan ang R-II Builders sa ilalim ng Joint Venture Agreement dahil wala itong natupad sa kanilang nilagdaang kontrata sa pamahalaan,” Ramos said.

Under the agreement, R-II Builders had to shell out money for the project but with the assurance of HGC, the construction firm managed to get a loan from the Social Security System and Government Service Insurance System.

De Castro and lawyer Jerome Canlas, counsel of R-II Builders, denied the allegations and said there was no midnight deal since the transaction took effect in 2005.

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