QC congresswoman belies graft charges

Quezon City Rep. Nanette Castelo-Daza branded as "baseless" yesterday the graft charges filed against her by a former employee of a family business.

Through her legal counsel, lawyer Freddie Villamor, the congresswoman said she terminated Archie Vineless, the complainant in the case filed before the Office of the Ombudsman, when she found out that he was cheating and borrowing money from co-workers without paying them.

Daza also clarified that she has been able to find temporary employment for many of her poor constituents in some government offices, but she never asked them to render personal services for her and her family during their employment in public services.

"Those who were accommodated in the family’s pizza establishment were at those times not working for the government as they were usually not re-hired after receiving a three-month casual employment," Villamor noted. "Vineless was precisely dismissed by the congresswoman when she learned that he was receiving salary from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority while he was also getting wages from the pizza parlor of her brother."

Daza also claimed the complainant attempted to convince previous co-workers to fabricate charges against her.

"Vineless was also dismissed by his former employees for being troublesome and dishonest," Villamor said. "He tried to convince and coerce some of his former co-employees to concoct charges against the lawmaker."

According to the lawyer, a joint sworn affidavit was issued by Danilo Martinez and Michael Bilaya, the complainant’s former co-employees, stating that Vineless sought their help to "destroy" Daza after the congresswoman’s brother, Bobby Castelo, failed to give Vineless a birthday gift. This occurred at a party last February 4.

Another former employee, Richard Cabrera, said that during the party, Vineless allegedly threatened bodily harm on them if they refuse to join him in his plan against Daza.

The lawyer said a former driver of the lawmaker, Alejandro Manucdoc II, said that on Feb. 10, Vineless also asked him if he knew any anomalies at the office of Daza.

He said the congresswoman nevertheless welcomed the filing of the graft case.

"We are confident that she will be cleared of the charges," Villamor said.

Earlier, Vineles’ lawyer told reporters that his client, while working as a supervisor of Buns and Pizza, had received salary since 2005 from the MMDA as a traffic aide.

Lawyer Vic Rodriguez claimed Vineles’ time-record card was signed by Evangeline Abrigonda, Daza’s personal secretary.

"During my service to Rep. Daza, I learned that some of her employees were rendering services either as part of her household or private business enterprise, but receiving salaries from certain agencies of the government is clear violation of the law," Vineles said in his complaint.

Aside from Daza, Castelo and Abrigonda, also included by Vineles in the charge sheet were a district engineer of the DPWH and several of Daza’s employees.

Vineles said the respondents, while employed by Daza, were receiving salaries from the DPWH 2nd Engineering District under the Oyster Project of President Arroyo and the MMDA.