For extorting from contractor, ex-Kalinga mayor, wife face graft raps

MANILA, Philippines - Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales has ordered the filing of graft charges against a former mayor of Tabuk City in Kalinga and his wife for allegedly extorting money from a private contractor 12 years ago.

In a 17-page ruling, Morales said former Tabuk mayor Camilo Lammawin Jr. and his wife Salud are also being slapped with direct bribery charges.

Records of the preliminary investigation conducted by the Office of the Ombudsman show that the Lammawins allegedly extorted a total of P520,000 from Rodman Corp., a contractor of the Tabuk water supply project, in exchange for the release of payments due to the company.   

Complainant Susan Rodriguez, Rodman Corp. treasurer, told graft probers that on July 10, 2002 the amounts of P100,000 and P300,000 were deposited to the personal bank accounts of Lammawin and his wife. 

Rodriguez alleged that on Oct. 21, 2002, they deposited another P120,000 to Lammawin’s bank account after his wife made a phone call demanding the money to be supposedly used “for the purchase of land.”

In exchange, the Lammawins allegedly promised they would facilitate the release of check payment amounting to P1,732,260 to Rodman Corp.

Rodman’s construction manager Roy Ragunton told graft investigators that payment would be made only if the mayor would get a “gift” for his “personal needs.”

The Lammawins, according to the Office of the Ombudsman, were recipients of cash deposits made by Rodriguez and failed to show sufficient proof of entitlement to the amounts deposited. 

Graft probers said the couple’s acts “showed conspiracy, in unity of mind and purpose, in extorting money from the complainant.” – With Raymund Catindig