Ombudsman cases pending since 2012

In December 2012, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales signed two orders (final evaluation report and review) recommending approval for the filing of criminal and administrative cases (CPL-V-08-0801) against Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia et al. for overpricing the purchase of furniture and fixtures from Comfac, a computer (not a furniture) company, in violation of Republic Act No. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

It’s already late 2016. What happened to these cases in the office of our Magsaysay awardee? No backlog?

Leonardia has six other plunder cases involving advance gasoline procurement (P72 million); payments of professional services (P245 million); traveling expenses (P270 million); Philippine Veterans Bank loan without appropriation ordinance (P250 million); the development of Granada-Vista Alegria relocation site (P150 million), the lot purchase of Arao property ( P129 million); and the purchase of computers without delivery.

What happened to these cases? The people of Bacolod are asking and have waited all these years for an answer. We still believe that all of Leonardia et al.’s “connections” to the Ombudsman’s office cannot overshadow Ombudsman Morales’ sense of righteousness and justice.

Madame Ombudsman, please tell us what happened to these cases. We rest our case.

You are our only hope, Madame Ombudsman. We still believe that justice will prevail.

SARAH TERESA S. ESGUERRA, Bacolod City