Zamboanga City – Councilor Joselito Macrohon together with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has filed graft charges versus Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco Salazar and other top city officials March 18 at Ombudsman for Mindanao at Davao City.
Macrohon said, the NBI has finished their investigation and now formally filed the case.
In a letter by the NBI to Rodolfo Elman, Deputy Ombudsman for Mindanao they transmitted documents for the conduct of preliminary investigation.
Recommended for prosecution were Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco Salazar, City Social Welfare and Development Officer Ma. Socorro Rojas, City General Services Officer Engr. Rene Dela Cruz, City Treasurer Romelita Candido, City Budget Officer Geraldine Dela Paz, City Accountant Silvia Binarao, City Administrator Marie Angelique Go, John Doe, and 5MJ Marketing represented by Maria Socorro Santiago.
Charges filed were violations of RA 3019 Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and Violation of RA 9184.
The complainant was Macrohon, who is a City Councilor of Zamboanga City’s District 1.
This is in relation to the assistance given by the city government during the enhanced community quarantine where the city purchased 250,000 bags of rice at P1,300 per 25kg which Macrohon sees as overpriced. Poor quality of rice were given to barangays Sinunuc and Cawit.
Aside from these, rotten vegetables were reportedly given at barangays Labuan and Sinunuc squash and eggplant for barangay Buenavista.
“This is the people’s money, debe sabe el publico y debe updated sila,” (the public deserve to know and be updated,) Macrohon told media in a press conference Sunday.
They are waiting for the reply of the ombudsman if this case will prosper or be dismissed. However, Macrohon is optimistic that they have a strong case.
He also said that he use his salary to fund for this filled cases. (R.G. Antonet A. Go)