Consolacion officials deny making money from project

CEBU, Philippines - Consolacion town Mayor Teresa Alegado, vice mayor Aurelio Damole, and other town officials, who are all facing charges of malversation of public funds, grave abuse of authority and discretion, gross ignorance of the law, and serious and grave misconduct in the Office of the Ombudsman in the Visayas yesterday denied making money from the construction of the P144 million municipal hall building.

She said the construction of the P144-million municipal hall building will continue, adding that it has complied with all requirements.

She denied town officials will make money from it.

“Kaayuhan sa lungsod maoy atong gitan-aw nganong kita naningkamot nga matuman gayud ang pagpatuman sa maong proyekto,” Alegado said.

On the other hand, Damole said all accusations are baseless and untrue.

The charges against the town officials were filed in the Office of the Ombudsman in the Visayas by incumbent town councilors Nicole Escobido, Vito Rolito Villo, Maria Analee Gungob, and Iluminado Alin.

Alegado and the other officials have also asked the Ombudsman to look into alleged irregularities committed during the administration of former mayor Avelino Gungob, Jr.

In a press conference, Alegado told reporters that formal complaints have been filed in the Office of the Visayas Ombudsman against former mayor Avelino Gungob, Jr. over the construction of the municipal hall at the government center in sitio Laray, barangay Nangka in the town.

“Human sa pag-file og kaso sa usa ka taga Consolacion nagpakahilom lang ko ug naghuwat sa action sa Ombudsman ug sa Commission on Audit aron dili ta dudahan nga namolitika, karon sila na man ang mipukaw sa isyu,” Alegado said.

Alegado said the administration of Gungob allegedly disregarded some procedures when it constructed the municipal hall building.

She said the notice to proceed with the construction of the municipal hall building was issued by Gungob in June 8, 2009, but the final geotechnical report for the proposed two-story Consolacion Municipal Hall building was released August 11, 2009 which stated that the area was not fit for the building.

But Gungob allegedly issued a notice to proceed with the project ahead of the result of the soil test, Alegado said. (FREEMAN)