OMBUDSMAN TO PROBE REP. CAJES
The Bohol Chronicle
issued on March 28, 2010
Barely a day after the start of the campaign in the local grounds, Rep. Roberto Cajes, whose wife is running for congressman in the 2nd district against Gov. Erico Aumentado, is reportedly facing a complaint on unexplained wealth and alleged anomalies in the implementation of road projects in is district.
A concerned citizen, Allan Aguilar Manching og Guinobatan, blamed all the anomalies in the 2nd district to Congressman Roberto Cajes- who is running for mayor in the municipality of Trinidad, to exchange posts with his wife, Mayor Judith Cajes.
The Office of the Ombudsman (Visayas) is expected to act this week on the complaint filed by Allan Aguilar Manching og Guinobatan, Trinidad town filed last January 25, 2010 which calls for an investigation and the filing of proper cases against the last termer solon allegedly "for unexplained wealth".
Manching addressed his complaint-letter to Deputy Ombudman Pelagio Apostol through Director Carla Narvios-Tanco, director for evaluation and investigation.
Manching cited the allegations of Barangay Captains in Trinidad of "short deliveries of road materials for their much reduced allocation as the bulk was realigned to Guinobatan, the home barangay of the congressman."
"Accordingly, the road materials are not being spread until this writing as his equipment are the ones being used by a Cebuano contractor," Manching stated in his complaint-letter.
Attached to the complaint-letter were supporting documents alleging to the irregular realignment deeed prejudicial to the barangays adversely affected.
In the farm-to-market road development program of the Department of Agriculture, the rehabilitation projects implemented in barangay Guinobatan amounted to P11.2 million when its supposed allocation from the implementation agency was only P5 million; while the farm-to market road rehabilitation projects implemented in barangays Banlasan, Bongbong, Kinan-oan, La Union, La Victoria, Sto. Tomas, Hinlayagan Ilaya, Poblacion, Hinlayagan Ilaud ,Soom , Tagum Norte, Tagum Sur, San Vicente, M. Roxas, Mahagbu, Catoogan, M. Cabiguhan, and San isidro only amounted to only P200,000 each when their respective allocation was pegged at P500,000 each.
The farm-to-market road rehabilitation projects in kauswagan under DA also amounted to P200,000 when its allocation was pegged at P1 million.
Manching also called on Deputy Ombudsman Apostol to check with the Commission on Audit of Bohol's second engineering district office and the regional office of the Department of Public Works and Highways on Boholano licensed contractors who were denied projects in favor of outsiders such as Geety Construction of Cebu, Yakal Construction of Leyte and Triple 888 ACY Construction of Southern Leyte.
Manching alleged that it is a way "obviously to hide commissions of graft and corruption especially on the use of the congressman's earth moving equipment."
Among the projects awarded to these alleged favored contractors include the following which are found to have suffered slippages: farm-to-market road in Guinobatan, Trinidad; improvement of the Ubay Public Market Circumferential Road; construction of Trinidad River Control; rehabilitation/ improveent (re-blocking) in the national roads of Ubay, Trinidad, Clarin, Danao and others in the second district of improvement of Poblacion -San Vicente-La Esperanza Road in the municipality of Dagohoy; and Guinobatan reclamation project.
Manching alleged that only one st of equipment is being used from one re-blocking project to another, mostly belonging to the congressman.
In fact, the Clarin re-blocking project caused the sudden demise of Fr. Goder of the Nahawan parish in Clarin in an accident sometime before Christmas last year.
The priest's family plans to file charges against the DPWH and the contractor.
Manching also pointed out in his complaint that "the 2nd District Engineering Office in Ubay, allegedly at the instance of the congressman, ordered P10 million asphalt overlay of the "good" concrete highway from the Getafe junction to the Talibon wharf "The PCCP highway is still in a very good condition so that the asphalt overlay thereon is unnecessary and a wanton waste of public funds."
He added that it could have been more appropriate to undertake the project in the Sagbayan-Danao road or the danao-Getafe road improvement "since they are still macadam or gravel highways."
"Incidentally, the projects was given to Joysen Construction (of Jun Rabaya) which does not even have an ECC to operate, according to PENRO Nestor Canda. A big commission is involved here reportedly," Manching said.
He had attached to his complaint, photos of the project showing the billboard of the congressman.
He disclosed that the heavy equipment used by the alleged favorite contractors of the congressman in their Bohol projects are owned by the congressman.
The equipment are based in the congressman's well fenched off compound in Guinobatan, trinidad and are registered either in the LTO-Subic, LTO-Tagbilaran or LTO- Talibon, Manching further disclosed.
others subject to Manching's complaint against the congressman include a two storey luxury house at New intramuros subdivision in commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City; residences in Tagbilaran City, Talibon, and Guinobatan, Trinidad; several vehicles registered in the name of the congressman and/ or his wife, Trinidad Mayor Judith Cajes, Nissan Patrol and Isuzu Altierra in the name of Jane censoria Cajes; and the Cajes-Del Rosario Building in Poblacion, Talibon.
"According to reports, the congressman has just acquired two houses and a lots adjacent to his Tagbilaran residence," Manching said.
The Cajes-Del Rosario Building houses the LTO office, the congressman's drug testing center, insurance and emission agents and other business concerns.
"According to the mayor of Talibon, the building was constructed illegally without the proper building permit but he could not do anything because of the power of the congressman," Manching cited.
Manching also cited that "the LTO building was supposed to be erected and was supposed to be stationed at some other place. He asked the municipality to acquire a lot for the LTO building but when it was available, he decided to house the LTO in his building because of his business of insurance, drug testing center and emission agents, all of which are dealing with LTO, and other concerns".
Police investigators found out that the Nissan Patrol is registered in his daughter's name- Jane censoria- when the congressman, on board the vehicle, met an accident on December 30 at around 11 am while traveling along barangay Oy in Loboc " wherein the car was heavily damaged and the congressman reportedly suffered a black eye and other injuries".
This was however denied by the solon saying he was not on board the Nissan Patrol at the time of the accident. Responding police team also allegedly fount out that the vehicle was loaded with two high powered long arms and three short arms which were claimed by the police escort identified as PO2 Dante rejas del Rosario.
Perhaps out of "respect' for the congressman, the Loboc police failed to secure the firearms serial numbers and documents to support its ownership.
Manching also alleged that the vehicles are either registered in Quezon City LTO, Metro Manila LTO, Cebu LTO, Tagbilaran City LTO or Talibon LTO.
"The property holdings of the congressman can be matched against his statement of assets and liabilities and income tax returns from 2001 to 2010," Manching said. The complainant also learned that the "congressman has not paid the proper taxes for his income from his income from the operation of his heavy equipment/road projects, his drug testing center, emmission centers and rentals of buildings".
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