Describing the graft and administrative complaints filed before the Ombudsman Visayas against him and several other Bacolod City officials, including Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, as “malicious and politically motivated,” Councilor Al Victor Espino yesterday said that he will be filing counter charges against the complainant and the persons behind him.
Espino, who was among the 18 respondents in the complaint filed by radio blocktimer Roger Ledesma, said that while he is willing to forgive those who filed cases against him “but, of course, I will retaliate.”
The complaint stemmed from the Bacolod City government’s purchase of 74.76 hectares of land in Hacienda Conchita, Barangay Granada, for P971.86 million, which Ledesma claimed in his complaint as an anomalous land banking project.
In a statement, the Bacolod Mayor said he has no idea regarding an alleged criminal and administrative complaints filed against him and other city officials regarding the land purchase deal by the city.
“If it was out in the media before even serving us a copy of the alleged complaint, then it is purely an election propaganda and a ploy to create noise for election purposes. Previous mayors who purchased lands before were mostly charged also, and all had been dismissed by the Ombudsman,” he said.
The land purchased by the city is part of land banking, and for the housing program and various developmental projects of the city, Benitez said.
“I assure all Bacolodnons that it was above-board and had complied with all the processes required under the law. It will pass any legal scrutiny for that matter,” he said.
Benitez added allegations in social media that the land is subject to CARP is fake news. They are barking up the wrong tree.
Benitez is a congressional candidate for the Bacolod Lone District.
We will get to the bottom of this, because there is a conspiracy that we are uncovering. Bigger people are involved, Espino said.
He also noted that the complainant was “selective” in the filing of complaints in the Ombudsman, sparing members of the appraisal and land banking committees.
This is politically motivated, Espino said.
Espino, however, added that he welcomed the complaints filed against him.
“This is the only forum wherein we will determine who is telling the truth”, he also said.
Councilor Jude Thaddeus Sayson explained that the purchase of the property was prepared for one year and six months.
“We went through the rigid process that is being given to us by the law. We followed it until the very end,” Sayson said, sharing the sentiments of Espino and Councilor Jesus Claudio “Kalaw” Puentevella that the “timing is really questionable.” (Gilbert Bayoran via tvds)