BACOLOD City – The Office of the Ombudsman has found probable cause to indict Mayor Evelio Leonardia and two other former city government officials for four counts of violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
The two others were Eduardo Ravena and Ricardo Dahildahil.
The case stemmed from the purchase of fuel worth P49 million by the city government in 2009.
Sara Esguera, the complainant, claimed the city government made advance payments.
She cited the audit report of the Commission on Audit in 2009.
Esguera named other persons in her complaint but they were dropped by the Ombudsman for lack of evidence. They were former Bacolod City police director, Police Colonel Ronilo Quebrar; then City Engineer’s Office head Belly Pelagio Aguillon; former Office of the Building Official chief Teresita Jalando-on Guadalupe; and Francis Albert Torres.
Also, the Ombudsman junked for lack of probably cause Esguera’s complaint of malversation of public funds against Leonardia, Ravena and Dahildahil.
“There’s still a long way to go. We can file a motion. We can go to the Supreme Court,” said City Legal Officer Joselito Bayatan when asked about this Ombudsman resolution./PN
