Oliva a victim of political bickering?

CEBU, Philippines - A teary-eyed Cebu City Treasurer Ofelia Oliva faced the media yesterday and reiterated that the Office of the Ombudsman has cleared her of charges of unexplained wealth amounting to P14 million.

Oliva said the anti-graft body dismissed the complaint on December 10, 2010 and subsequently, on April 5, 2011, junked the motion for reconsideration filed by the Department of Finance-Revenue Integrity and Protection Services (DOF-RIPS).

Oliva said it is unfair that the accusations continue to persist.

The DOF-RIPS earlier filed a complaint against Oliva while she was still the treasurer of Pasay City. Oliva allegedly acquired the wealth when she was assigned in Cebu City sometime in 2001.

Mayor Michael Rama said Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima had told him that the latest relief order against Oliva was because of the case for unexplained wealth pending before the DOF-RIPS, the investigating arm of the Department of Finance.

Oliva strongly believes she is just a victim of political bickering.

“Ang ako lang g’yud unta nga hangyo sa mga politicians, including our mayor nga dili lang unta kita maoy maipit sa ilang away kay maapil kami nga dia sa career service kay that is not fair nga igo ra g’yud kami nagtrabaho og bisan kinsa pa ang molingkod nga mayor andam kanunay mi nga motuman sa ilang sugo,” Oliva said.

Oliva said she worked neither for Rama or former Mayor Tomas Osmeña, but for the people of Cebu City. While they used to be allies at the Bando-Osmeña Pundok-Kauswagan, Rama and Osmeña have since parted ways since Rama won as mayor in 2010. 

“Like a good soldier, bisan asa ko nila ibutang, bisan adto pa ko nila ibutang sa Basilan I will do my job well,” Oliva said.

She also expressed dismay over the failure of DOF to protect her, saying she was considered one of the best treasurers in the country when she topped the examinations given to all treasurers nationwide.

Oliva still held office yesterday because, according to her, she still has not received the order relieving her from her post. Rama had asked Purisima to reconsider his order to relieve Oliva.

Oliva was treasurer of Dumaguete City when then mayor Osmeña offered her an acting treasurer post in Cebu City in place of former City Treasurer Eustaquio Cesa who opted to transfer as city assessor because of a case with the Sandiganbayan.

Cesa did not commit graft and corruption, but he and several other former City Hall officials were charged criminally for their failure to prevent some former paymasters from taking millions of pesos from the city’s coffers for their personal interest. – (FREEMAN)