San Pedro City Councilor Files Plunder and Graft Complaints Against Mayor and Officials

San Pedro City Councilor Carlon “Lonlon” Ambayec has lodged plunder and graft complaints against Mayor Art Francis Joseph Mercado and other elected officials from San Pedro City, Laguna. The complaints, filed with the Office of the Ombudsman, involve allegations of violating Republic Act 7080 (plunder) and Republic Act 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act).

Ambayec said that Mayor Mercado and his nine other elected officials, among other city officials, have authorized to buy a 12,274 square meters property land amounting to P73,644,000 in Barangay Laram, San Pedro City without the proper legal proceedings.

“I went to the Ombudsman last Thursday to file a plunder case against San Pedro City Mayor Art Mercado and his other officials for purchasing a land property in Barangay Laram without any specific use or immediate plan that cost more than P70 million,” Ambayec said.

He claimed that the property amounting to more than P70 million was allegedly overpriced and there are informal settlers in the area. Ambayec explained that when a government buy a property, a relocation plan shall be provided to the informal settlers.

“I did not sign their resolution because it was the people or the taxpayers’ money that they would use. They said the lot will be for government’s various future projects. That’s a ridiculously huge amount they spent, which could be spent for other projects beneficial to the people of San Pedro,” he added.

Aside from Mercado and Olivarez, Ambayec also filed plunder charges on fellow City councilors Michael Casacop, Sheriliz Almoro, Joie Chelsea Villegas, Leslie Lu, Atty. Mark Oliveros, Aldrin Mercado, Bernadette Olivarez, Jose Mendoza, and Vincent Solidum.

San Pedro City’s ex-officio member of Sangunian Panglungsod President of Liga ng mga Barangay Diwa Tayao and Sangunian SK Federation President Raphael Ty, city administrator’s Atty. Henry Salazar, and 12 other city officials were also dragged in the case.

Ambayec said the mayor and explained that there was no any specific plan for the purchase of that land property in Laram, whether they use the land for the construction of a public hospital, school, government offices and housing, among other infrastructures.

“They bought the property without clearly telling us if we would be building an infrastructure like hospital, school, housing, or any government offices. The local government cannot buy any land property if they do not specify their plans for it. I know that is not allowed,” Ambayec stressed.

There was also no appointment of board of assessors to assess the acquired property aside from not having it in their annual investment plan, Ambayec explained.

The reason of the city to buy that property should be specified for what purpose or use, he added.