MANILA, Philippines - The Office of the Ombudsman has filed 10 counts of graft against a former mayor of San Jose town in Occidental Mindoro for allegedly issuing illegal permits.
Jose Villarosa allegedly issued extraction permits to quarry operators in 2010 and 2011 in violation of Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code, which grants this power exclusively to governors.
“There is no merit in the respondent’s argument that the phrase ‘the province may levy and collect’ was a tacit permission for the municipality to also levy and collect,” the ombudsman’s ruling, released on Thursday, stated.
“It is clear the persons who have been granted extraction permits… by virtue of the authority he unlawfully arrogated unto himself were able to exercise a privilege they did not deserve,” the decision added.