Bacolod officials face raps over P23-M landfill deal

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – Mayor Evelio Leonardia, some members of the city council and some employees have been sued for the P23,800,000 landfill deal they signed with a private corporation. Criminal and administrative cases were lodged against the city officials "for violation of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act as well as grave misconduct and acts prejudicial to public interest." The complaint was lodged before assistant City Prosecutor Yvonne Gulmatico-Cioco by Othello Ramos of Grandville II Subdivision and Serafin Oro Jr. of purok Sigay, Barangay 2, both in Bacolod City. Aside from Leonardia, others included in the suit are Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson and councilors Greg Gasataya, Homer Bais, Dindo Ramos, Wilson Gamboa Jr., Al Victor Espino, Napoleon Cordova, Roberto Rojas, Alex Paglomutan, Reynaldo Iledan and Diosdado Valenzuela; OIC City Treasurer Annabelle Badajos, OIC City Engineer Teresita Guadalupe, City Assessor Maphilindo Polvora and Dynasty Agricultural Corporation represented by Ester Lopez. Filing the case as taxpayers of Bacolod, Ramos and Oro questioned the "much higher price of P23,800,000" in purchasing a 70,000 square-meter landfill site at P340/sq. m. when the city government could have opted for the P12,866,800 site measuring 160,835 sq. m. at P80/sq. m. – Sun.Star Bacolod For more details, please follow link.