Malonzo sues Caloocan Rep. Asistio over flood control projects

Ex-Caloocan city mayor Rey Malonzo on Thursday filed graft and malversation complaints against Caloocan City Third District Representative Dean Asistio, other Caloocan city officials, and contractors before the Ombudsman’s office over flood control projects worth around P79 million.

Malonzo alleged that these projects are either ghost projects or otherwise anomalous, despite being identified as “completed” on record.

These projects include:

• a P6.7-million road and drainage rehabilitation project in Carmelite Village (Brgy. 187), allegedly with zero physical footprint;
• a P19.2-million flood control structure in Brgy. 187, allegedly shown using digitally manipulated photos;
• a P11.7-million road construction in Brgy. 159, allegedly using unlinked photos to mask zero actual construction;
• a P2.9-million building project in Brgy. 177 that supposedly misrepresented a minor homeowners' association office renovation as a newly completed covered court;
• a P19.2-million project at Rivera Bukid that allegedly engaged in location fraud by using photos from Brgy. 159 to claim work for Brgy. 163;
• two projects in Brgy. 187 consisting of a P9.6-million day care center that was downgraded to a superficial renovation; and
• a P9.7-million covered court rehabilitation that allegedly was almost entirely replacing fewer than 25 roofing sheets valued at just P150,000.

"Even though I have been out of City Hall for more than two decades, my duty to the people of Caloocan never expired. Caloocan remains trapped in a state of stagnant poverty and zero progress because of the deeply entrenched modus operandi of these corrupt officials,” Malonzo said in a statement.

“We are bringing them before the Ombudsman to ensure they finally answer to the law and to the taxpayers they have systematically robbed," he added.

In a separate interview with reporters, Malonzo said Asistio should clearly answer for these projects, saying tarpaulins in Third District attribute the project to him.

“Wala namang aamin na congressman na sila yung proponent nun pag nagigipit na eh. Pero pag humarap sila sa tao, sinasabi nila na sila nagpagawa ng proyektong ‘yan. Kasama ‘yun sa aming demanda,” Malonzo said.

(No lawmaker will ever admit that they are the proponent of the project if they are pushed against the wall. That is why we are filing the complaint.)

“May mga tarpaulin, speeches kasi ‘yan. At itong aking witness, ito yung talagang nakakita ng mga anomalya doon. Binaril ito, ilang beses binaril,” Malonzo added.

(And yet, his name is on project tarpaulins and in his speeches. I ven have a witness who can testify on these anomalous. Gunshots were fired at him, and for several times.)

Malonzo was referring to Byron Columna, who accompanied him during the filing and is a resident of the Third District of Caloocan City.

“Siya pa yung may kaso ngayon, dinemanda ng libel ni Dean Asistio kasi nagsasalita siya tungkol doon sa mga nakita niyang anomalya. Kaya dapat may masuspinde, dapat may managot,” Malonzo added.

(He is even facing a libel case right now because he has spoken about these anomalies. Somebody has to be liable.)

Aside from Asistio, other respondents in complaint include Fermerindo Angelo Besabe of DSA Prime Builders Corp.; Florita Villanueva of Diadema Construction; Dan Rupert Cham of Pheames Community Construction; Romanito Juatco of Framecon Builders; Mark Allan Arevalo of Wawao Builders; and Roland Radcliffe Imperio of 5-1 Construction Corp., among others.

In response, Asistio said Malonzo’s allegations are all politically motivated.

“There is no ghost project in District 3,” he said in a statement.

“This is just about politics. Maybe he is running against me again,” Asistio added. — BM, GMA News