LA TRINIDAD: Mayor Gregorio Abalos is facing his second Ombudsman case over a P250m ($5.5m) mall project in this Benguet capital town.
Even suspecting that the grave misconduct and oppression lodged by private developer Jarco Realty and Development Corporation which in 2009 forged a lease contract with La Trinidad government for a mall project, as “political”, Abalos said he is braving all these in the interest of the 120,000 residents of his town.
Earlier in January, two residents whom Abalos fired at the local government filed dishonesty, grave misconduct and violations of anti-graft and corrupt practices against Abalos before the Ombudsman over the controversial Black Hole project, also known the Zero Waste Management System technology.
In the second complaint against Abalos, Jarco claims it has been suffering huge losses and opportunities since December 21, 2009 because of the mayor’s continued refusal for the lease for at least 30 years of a 3,910sqm property on which Jarco will construct the mall. On August 17 this year, Jarco corporate secretary Juanito Teope, on behalf of its board of directors, complained before the Office of the Ombudsman for Luzon.
Abalos, suspecting something political ahead of the 2013 polls, said “they want my neck.”
The town mayor, however, is firm on disapproving the mall project insisting there were no genuine consultations with affected residents on the project. The interest of stakeholders in La Trinidad were not taken into consideration, he said, even hinting “money changed hands” during the town administration before him.
The Philippine star
