Ex-Caloocan Mayor Echiverri arrested

Former Caloocan City Mayor and Rep. Enrico "Recom" Echiverri was arrested at the Sandiganbayan on Thursday over the graft charges filed against him in connection with the alleged anomalous drainage projects in the city in 2011.

Also arrested were former city accountant Edna Centeno and city budget officer Jesusa Garcia, his co-accused in the graft case.

The respondents were attending the hearing for Echiverri's urgent motion at the anti-graft court's Third Division when they were ordered arrested.

The court issued a warrant of arrest against the respondents on March 10, but they had no knowledge about it when they attended the hearing.

Following the incident, Echiverri posted half the amount of his original bail for the graft case — from P30,000 to P15,000 — after the court allowed him to.

Centeno and Garcia, meanwhile, posted a total of P21,000 — P15,000 for graft and P6,000 for falsification — after their original bail was halved as well.

'Unwarranted benefits and advantage'

Echiverri, Centeno and Garcia are facing one count of violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act at the Third Division.

In its charge sheet, the Ombudsman said the respondents gave "unwarranted benefits and advantage" by awarding a P1.9-million contract to Golden 3T Construction for the improvement of the Saplungan St. Drainage System from May to December 2011.

Aside from this, Echiverri and his co-accused are also facing another count of graft at the Second Division.

For this case, the Ombudsman said the respondents gave "unwarranted benefits and advantage" by awarding a P2.7-million contract to E.V. & E. Construction for the improvement of the Molave St. Drainage System.

Both of these transactions were made without the prior authorization of the Sangguniang Panlungsod, the Ombudsman said.

Aside from graft, Centeno and Garcia are also facing a case of falsification of public documents at the Second and Third Division.

The Ombudsman said Centeno and Garcia "feloniously" made false statements in the Allot and Obligation Slips as to the existence of appropriation and obligation of allotment for both projects.

This, even though they were both aware that there was actually no appropriation for the projects.

In an interview with reporters, Echiverri insisted that his case was motivated by politics.

"Pinapalabas ng ating mga kalaban na in-implement ko 'yung project nang walang authority from the council. I was authorized by the city council through an ordinance tapos ang aking ginawang proyekto, it was ratified by the council through an ordinance," he said.

"Additionally, wala namang allegation sa complaint nila na illegal 'yung transaction na ginawa ko because there was public bidding," he added. — KG/RSJ, GMA News