Lolypop, Luigi face charges at Ombud

Two mayoral candidates in Mandaue City are facing separate investigations before the Ombudsman-Visayas over alleged misdeeds they committed while in public office.

Two residents of the city filed a complaint against Councilor Emmarie Ouano Dizon at past 11 a.m. yesterday for allegedly not including the proceeds from a sale of a parcel of land worth P20 million in in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN).

Lito Ferrater and Allan Bisquera said Dizon, a candidate for Mandaue City mayor, made a “willful and deliberate assertion of falsehood” in her 2012 and 2013 SALNs.

They asked the anti-graft office to hold Dizon accountable for violating Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.

Based on the evidence gathered by the two complainants, Dizon and her husband Nixon Ting Dizon sold a lot worth P20 million to Foton Motors  Philippines Inc. in 2012.

But  Dizon did not declare the property nor report the income they received in her 2012 and 2013 SALNs, Ferrater and Bisquera claimed.

Dizon said she will address the issue in a press conference today.

“We haven’t received the complaint but if it concerns my SALN, I’m confident that I declared what I needed to declare,” said Dizon in a text message to Cebu Daily News.

Yesterday afternoon, another resident of Mandaue City filed a complaint against Dizon’s rival, Rep. Luigi Quisumbing of Cebu’s 6th district, for allegedly using his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) to purchase multicabs from a company his family owns.

Roberto Letaba, who filed the complaint as a taxpayer and and resident of Mandaue City, said a Commission on Audit (COA) report would prove his claim.

He said state auditors also pointed out that the procurement of the multicabs by Quisumbing was implemented without any public bidding.

Letaba said they obtained records from government offices to show that the multicabs were purchased from Porta Coeli Industrial Company Inc., an affiliate of the Norkis Group of Companied owned by Quisumbing’s family.

Attached to his complaint were photographs of a government multicab bearing the name and face of Quisumbing as well as a  sign that bore the brand-name “Norkis.”

Quisumbing’s lawyer, Elaine Bathan, said the authority to conduct the bidding lies within the Bids and Awards Committee of Cebu province.