Hustler hired to destroy Jamora
Leading candidate for city mayor Larry Jamora yesterday brushed off the presence here of a former Manila Water and Sewerage System (MWSS) employee, Genaro Bautista, who filed a complaint for plunder against him in 2008.
“The guy is a hustler who was brought here by my opponents in a futile attempt to destroy me,” Jamora told the local media in an interview yesterday morning. “The guy even owes me P20,000,” he added. “Diin sya kay sukton ko sya (Where is he so I can collect my money).”
According to Jamora, Bautista was retired/retrenched by the MWSS when the government agency was privatized, “way back before my time (as MWSS Administrator).” Jamora pointed out that when he became MWSS Administrator he caused the release of the Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) which the retired employees were entitled to but was withheld by his predecessors. Bautista was claiming 10 percent of the amount as his alleged commission in representing the employees. But Jamora did not agree since Bautista had the power of attorney of only 200 out of some 5,000 who were entitled to the benefit.
Bautista was interviewed live yesterday over a radio blocktime program paid for by the camp of Jed Mabilog. It is expected that his interview will be aired in other radio programs paid for by Mabilog’s group over the next few days as the centerpiece of the black propaganda and smear campaign to discredit Jamora before the voting public.
“This is a last ditch effort by Mabilog to derail our impending victory,” Jamora said. “We have never denied that there is such a complaint but this is nothing new. It has never been resolved by the Department of Justice. Why don’t they ask former DOJ Secretary Raul Gonzalez?”
“The plunder complaint has never prospered,” Jamora further stressed. “The Commission on Audit exit reports for 2007 and 2008 never showed any case of malversation nor unliquidated cash advances against me.”
Jamora said the money they claimed to have been plundered was placed by him, with approval by the MWSS Board, in an escrow fund in government banks to be used to pay an MWSS foreign debt amounting to US$125 million which matures in 2011.
