Graft raps filed vs Marquez

Graft charges were formally filed before the Sandiganbayan yesterday against Parañaque Mayor Joey Marquez after Ombudsman probers held him criminally liable over allegations he overpriced by P1.3 million the acquisition of ammunition for his close-in bodyguards.

Prosecutor Humphrey Monteroso recommended a total of P90,000 bail for the actor-comedian, based on three counts he violated the Anti-Graft Law (RA 3019). The suit has yet to be raffled off to one of the five divisions in the anti-graft court.

Ombudsman Simeon Marcelo said Marquez and general services officer Ofelia Caunan should stand trial for the acquisition of P3.2 million worth of ammunition in 1996 and 1997, which should have only been P1.9 million, allocated for cops detailed at the mayor’s office.

Investigators upheld the findings made by the Commission on Audit, led by Fatima Bermudez, which discovered the ammunition purchase was done "without any public bidding." They revealed the supplier, VMY Trading, is "not an authorized dealer" and did not have the business permit in the local trade and industry office.

"As responsible public officers, it is incumbent upon them that public funds should be managed without utmost care and diligence so that the same will not be wasted to the damage of the government and the public in general," graft prober Emily Reyes stated in her 26-page resolution, dated Aug. 7.

"The acts were done with evident bad faith and manifest partiality and unwarranted benefits, advantage or preference were given to VMY Trading plus the fact that undue injury was suffered by the city government of Parañaque," said spokesman Ernesto Nocos.

Marquez’s new suit is on top of his indictment in the Sandiganbyan for his alleged failure to make good his promise, as well as that of the city council’s, to reimburse book supplier Lizabeth Carreon over the P6.4 million textbooks she delivered to several schools in Parañaque.

The third division, headed by Justice Godofredo Legaspi, sent back the charges to the Ombudsman and the Office of the Special Prosecutor for reinvestigation, which should be finished within 60 days. The OSP and Ombudsman were also ordered to sumit a report on such within the "same period."

Marquez, who sits as chairman of the city school board, his co-chairman Rolando Magno, executive assistant Mar Jimenez and Antonette Antonio, assistant to the office of the city mayor, were sued based on the complaint of Carreon who was not reimbursed of her P6.4 million textbook delivery.