Richest Cebu mayor faces graft raps

CEBU – The province’s richest mayor is now in hot water, but not for her wealth.

Madridejos Mayor Letty Mancio was charged for violation of the Anti-Graft and Corruption Practices Act by her predecessor with the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas for the alleged questionable issuance of a business permit to a cockfight arena operator.

Former Mayor Doroteo Salazar said that last July 3, just two days after Mancio assumed office, a certain Jose Pestano applied for a business permit to operate a cockpit.

On July 5, Mancio allegedly approved the application despite several deficiencies.

In his complaint, Salazar said the permit was issued despite Pestano’s failure to secure building and sanitary permits and a clearance from the Human Settlements Regulatory Commission.

Salazar said the issuance of a permit to Pestano violated Municipal Ordinance No. 002 Series of 1998, which allows the operation of only one cockpit in the town.

Salazar said there is an existing cockpit in Madridejos which is maintained and operated by the Lawisanon Cockers Club.

The former mayor also alleged that Mancio issued an undated business permit without the signatures of the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s collection officer and the municipal treasurer.

Salazar lost to Mancio in the hotly contested mayoral elections last May 14.

Mancio holds the reputation of being the richest mayor in Cebu. She is even richer than Mandaue City Mayor Thadeo Quano whose real estate and personal properties amount only to P56.69 million.

In the statement of assets and liabilities she submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman, Mancio listed her total assets as P79,675,420 in real properties and P23,608,180 in personal properties.

Mancio owns several residential lots and buildings in Mandaue City. She also owns agricultural and beach lots in her hometown.

The mayor owns 14 luxury cars valued at P5.01 million, and 11 machineries worth P1.4 million.

She has P784,937.46 in liabilities, from a bank loan.

In his complaint with the Ombudsman, Salazar also named 10 employees of Pestano as respondents. – Freeman News Service