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BY ADRIAN STEWART CO
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Friday, June 30, 2017
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MANILA – Former Antique governor Exequiel Javier was charged with graft before the Sandiganbayan over a P10-million rice mill project funded by his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) when he was a congressman.
Yesterday, the Office of the Ombudsman accused Javier and 10 others of violating Republic Act 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act).
The graft charge stemmed from a complaint filed by one Rosena Estaris in 2008 and from a later complaint of former Antique governor Salvacion Zaldivar-Perez and other people in 2010.
Other respondents were former Patnongon, Antique mayor Henry Mondejar, former vice mayor Johnny Bacongallo, former councilors Felix Gregorio Barrientos, Rene Philip Cayetano, Teopisto Estaris Jr., and Erika Orcasitas; councilors Gemma Cepeda, Thomas Bacaoco and Al Brian Crespo, and Greater Antique Development Cooperative (Grand Coop) chair Efren Esclavilla.
The rice mill project was implemented through a memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Unit No. 6 and Patnongon in February, 2007.
It gave way for the transfer of P10 million from Javier’s pork barrel to Patnongon for the municipality’s food security, livelihood and post-harvest facility program.
The rice mill equipment was purchased from Alheed International Trading Corp.
A year later, then Mayor Mondejar, with authorization from the municipal council, entered into a MOA with Grand Coop to transfer the ownership, management and operation of the 40-ton rice mill to the cooperative.
Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, in her recommendation for filing graft charges, said the program was “highly questionable” since it was Patnongon which requested the fund for the rice mill before it was transferred to the town of Hamtic.
“…(C)onspiracy with other respondents ensured the transfer of the ownership and installation of the [rice mill machinery] in favor of Grand Coop by stealthily following an orchestrated process,” Carpio-Morales said.
“The respondents gave the Grand Coop unwarranted benefit, advantage or preference in the full transfer of ownership, operation and maintenance of the rice mill machinery by using government funds,” she added./PN
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