Jubilant Tupas welcomes dismissal

By Leny G. Gabo

A jubilant Iloilo Gov. Niel D. Tupas Sr. welcomed the dismissal of the administrative complaint which a construction firm lodged against him earlier.

“The truth has finally emerged. I have not done anything wrong, and this decision proves it,” a Capitol statement said, quoting the governor during Friday last week's press conference.

In dismissing the complaint filed by Raul Rocha of R. Rocha Construction, Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs Manuel B. Gaite pointed out in the four-page decision that “(t)here is no prima facie case to warrant the institution of a formal administrative proceeding.”

Rocha alleged that the governor committed dishonesty, oppression and abuse of authority in canceling his authority to quarry in Anilao, Iloilo .

Tupas, Gaite said, cannot be faulted for the cancellation as Rocha failed to pay P810,000 as extraction fees within the stipulated period of 60-days as contained in the memorandum of agreement with the provincial government.

“A contract, like a Memorandum of Agreement, is the law between the parties,” Gaite pointed out.

Although Rocha claimed to have tendered a check as payment for the extraction fees, Gaite observed that no consignation was made to the courts, a procedure mandated by the Civil Code.

Tupas also hailed as ‘double victory' the denial of a Regional Trial Court of a temporary restraining order, which Rocha also sought.

“This is double victory for me,” the governor stressed.