The Sandiganbayan has dismissed an anti-graft case filed 17 years ago against former Mandaue City Mayor Alfredo Ouano for the alleged overpriced purchase of a parcel of land in Barangay Looc in Mandaue City.
Ouano confirmed the dismissal, adding that the anti-graft court's First Division gave credence to their defense that the lot in question was actually worth more than what the city government paid for.
He said the University of Cebu even wanted to buy the lot, but the landowners opted to sell the property to the city because it found the reason behind the purchase noble.
He said he got the City Government to purchase the 3,315-square-meter property in 1995, during his last term and intended the lot to be used for the construction of a school for Mandaue City residents who were poor yet deserving, and stressed they got it at a fair price of over P3,000 per square meter.
He lamented, however, that in 1998, members of the opposition in the City Council at that time went to the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas with allegations of overpricing.
Based on previous reports, the City Government paid P10.9 million for the lot from Raul and Editha Cabahug, who, in turn, bought the property from Genoveva Cabahug, Raul’s mother, for only P1 million.
The anti-graft office found basis to indict Ouano and other city government officials criminally before the Sandiganbayan but dismissed the administrative aspect of the charge.
Among the respondents were then Pontico Fortuna, Noel Soon, Cesar Cabahug Jr., Rafael Mayol, Paulino Dy, Mark Lester Jeanjaquet, then city administrator Victor Biaño, then city treasurer Lorna Atega, Joaquin Garcia and the property owners, Raul and Editha Cabahug.
Ouano said five of the respondents are now deceased.
In answering the charge, Ouano and the other respondents said the amount with which Raul and Editha Cabahug got the property for should not be considered. - PNA
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