Ex-Occidental Mindoro mayor faces graft for overpriced lot purchase

The former mayor of Santa Cruz, Occidental Mindoro has been charged with graft at the Sandiganbayan over a supposedly overpriced lot the municipality purchased in 2012.

Prosecutors from the Office of the Ombudsman filed one count of violation of Section 3(g) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act against former Mayor Filemon Galsim.

The case stemmed from the contract of purchase entered into by Galsim, on behalf of the local government, with a certain Teresita Asis Mercene for a 2,123-square-meter lot in Barangay Poblacion II.

The Ombudsman said the lot owned by Mercene was purchased for P702.70 per square meter, or a total amount of P1.49 million, despite prevailing market values then under Sangguniang Panlungsod Resolution No. 43 which pegged a fixed price of P580 per square meter.

This means the agreement signed by Galsim is overpriced by P260,492.10 and is therefore found to be "manifestly and grossly disadvantageous to the government."

A total bail bond of P30,000 has been recommended. — BM, GMA News