SAN PEDRO CITY MAYOR FACES ANOTHER PLUNDER RAPS

ANOTHER plunder and graft charges on Tuesday were filed  against San Pedro City Mayor Art Francis Joseph Mercado of Laguna and the City Council before the Office of the Ombudsman .

Former San Pedro City Public Order and Safety Office employee Jason Vierneza went to the Office of the Ombudsman to file charges of violations of Republic Act (RA) 7080 or the Plunder Law, RA 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, RA 7160 otherwise known as The Local Government Code of 1991 and RA 3019 otherwise known as Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Vierneza, who resigned last July after almost 19 years in service, expressed dismay to Mercado and his City Council for the purchase of a 22,500 square-meter property land located in Bgy.  Landayan in San Pedro City without the specific plan and the proper legal proceedings.

According to the 14-page complaint and annexes of evidence submitted by Vierneza, the amount of the piece of land bought was P135,000,000 or P6,000 per square-meter last April 20, 2023.

Vierneza claimed in his complaint that the same piece of land was being sold three years ago at P1,300 per square meter for a total price of P29,500,000.

Aside from Mercado, Vierneza also filed plunder charges against Vice Mayor Divina Olivarez, councilors Michael Casacop, Sheriliz Almoro, Joie Chelsea Villegas, Leslie Lu, 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  Henry Salazar, and 12 other city officials were also dragged in the case.

Attorney Melvin Matibag helped Vierneza file the plunder case.

“Land banking is not the job of the local government after the leadership of Mayor Art Mercado bought another land property without a purpose. It was the second time that they did it after they acquired the land property in Laram also for future development or for future use,” Matibag said.

“It cannot be. Under the law, it is prohibited to buy a land property if there is no specific use or plan for it, if there are many informal settlers, and if it is a flood prone area. This is a flood prone area beside the Laguna Lake,”  he explained.

“I am very sad to what’s happening to the people of Landayan and San Pedro because of the flooding,”  he added.

Earlier, a plunder case was filed against Mercado and company by city councilor Carlon Ambayec for the purchase of a land property in Bgy. Laram worth P73,644,000 or at P6,000 per square meter.

Just like the property in Bgy. Landayan bought by the city government, there was also no specific plan or project for the purchase of the 12,274-square-meter lot in Bgy. Laram.

No Board of Assessors was appointed to assess the property.

Meanwhile, the accused local officials have yet to issue statements regarding the new plunder case.