The News Today Online

City could not file charges against a casual employee

By Maricar M. Calubiran

Iloilo City -- Majority floor leader Councilor Eduardo Peñaredondo said the city government could not file any charges against the casual employee of the Sangguniang Panlungsod who allegedly wrote the letter claiming an overprice of P14 million in the San Isidro relocation site land deal.

Peñaredondo said the result of their investigation that Sara Jane Magdalo is a casual employee of the SP was based only on their 'suspicions'and on the denial made by National Housing Authority regional director Engr. Isagani Jalbuena.

Magdalo, in her letter claimed she is a casual employee of the NHA.

The majority floor leader is one of the members of the task force purposely created by Mayor Jerry Treñas to conduct an investigation on the alleged land scam. City Legal Office chief Atty. Edgar Gil heads the task force. The other members of the task force are City Assessor chief Nelson Parreño and Iloilo City Urban Poor Affairs Office chief Roy Firmeza.

Peñaredondo said, based on their investigation, the alleged casual employee once asked Marilyn Mirasol Inocencio, the land owner to authorize him to act as realtor of the property but the land owner refused. Instead, the owner consented Efren Gimeo to act as their attorney-in-fact and transact business regarding the 162,000 square meter lot in San Isidro, Jaro.

The task force also found out that Magdalo forged and tampered the documents he provided to the media. The fonts or letter size of the third pages of Gimeo's offer to sell differs from the original documents presented by realtor to the city government.

With the result of the investigation, the task force has recommended that Mayor Jerry Trenas should push through with the deal. The processing of the voucher was halted after Magdalo came out with his expose regarding the land deal.

Meanwhile, Treñas said he could not comment on the alleged overpricing as he has yet to get a copy of the task force recommendation. He is expected to receive a copy of the task force report today (Monday).