Talisay City Mayor Johnny V. de los Reyes is considering to file a P10 million suit for damages against a former political ally who filed graft charges against him at the Ombudsman-Visayas last week.
“For 25 years I’ve been giving assistance to the poor in Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center and then he tells me I feed my grandchildren using money I stole,” the mayor told reporters.
Reyes said Lorete Bonete, a former Talisay City councilor, was an ally when he ran for mayor in the 2007 elections.
He said he believes that Bonete got upset after he failed to give him a favor.
Bonete filed a graft complaint against the mayor for approving the purchase of a 4×4 pick-up, rescue equipment and medicines which the Commission on Audit (COA) found to be questionable.
In his complaint, Bonete said the purchase of a truck and rescue equipment worth P3.5 million was found to be 32.20 percent above the Commission on Audit (COA) estimate.
Bonete said the city government purchased several medicines worth P170,116.64 but the drugs are not listed in the Philippines’ National Drug Formulary Volume 1 and did not have the approval from the National Drug Office.
Also impleaded in the graft complaint was the mayor’s son, Talisay City Administrator John Yre de los Reyes, who also chairs the Bids and Awards Committee.