Ombudsman clears Mayor Vico, 7 others of graft raps
THE Office of the Ombudsman has cleared Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto and seven other city officials of graft charges filed by a so-called anti-corruption advocacy group for lack of merit.
In a 24-page joint resolution, Mayor Sotto, and seven other city officials Jeronimo U. Manzanero, City Administrator ; Rodolfo Concepcion, Statistician 1- Office of the City Planning and Development; Priscella B. Mejillano, City Planning and Development Coordinator; Mamerto V. Mesina, Jr., City Government Assistant Department Head 11; Artaxerxes V. Geronimo, Officer in Charge, Office of the City Engineer; Marita A. Calaje, City Treasurer and Robert D. Mina, City Assessor; were exonerated from the charges.
The cases were filed by Task Force Kasanag, Inc. represented by John J. Chiong against the eight for violation of Section 3(b) of Republic Act No. 3019, Republic Act No. 9485, as amended by Republic Act No. 11032 and Conduct Unbecoming of a Public Official, Grave Misconduct, Gross Neglect of Duty, Oppression, violation of Republic Act No. 9485, as amended by Republic Act No. 11032
“Wherefore, the complaints against Victor Maria Regis N. Sotto is dismissed and he is admonished to be to be more circumspect in the discharge of his duties to avoid any impression of impropriety and warned that a repetition of the same or similar offense will warrant the imposition of a severe penalty.
Moreover, charges against other officials were also dismissed for lack of merit.
Finally, the complaints against Concepcion are likewise dismissed by reason of death,” the resolution said.
Chiong alleged that he was forced to file charges before the Ombudsman on March 18,2024 claiming that abuse in authority has no place in the government.
“Matagal na two cases. Nov. 22, 2023 was the other case. But with the public interest, ngayon lang natin inilabas,” Chiong said.
Chiong claimed that the transaction was based in Pasig City and the matter was forwarded to the office of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) through a letter addressed to then Secretary Eduardo Ano in 2021 and there was only an investigation on the charges.
“No. 1 yung kanilang business permit na ginagawang mali. Ginamit po ang pagka mayor mo dahil galit ka sa businessman,” Chiong said.
Mayor Vico, who ended the nearly three-decade rule of the Eusebios in 2019, in a text message to Journal Group of Publication, said that he has yet to receive an official copy of the resolution on the cases lodged against him and seven other city officials filed by the “graft watchdog.”
“Good morning po inaantay lang po namin ang official copies, Wala pa po kasi, salamat po,” Sotto said in his text message.
