Ombud to Cortes: Probe complaint vs Andaya

Beethoven Andaya

THE Ombudsman-Visayas called on Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes to investigate the veracity of the complaint filed by a city resident against City Councilor and opposition vice mayoral candidate Beethoven Andaya.

In his complaint, Joselito Ngujo, a resident of Sitio Purok Bombil in Barangay Opao claimed that the councilor pocketed the P64,000 payment to permits and power bills for a Christmas bazaar held at the Mandaue City Plaza Square.

The Mandaue City Treasurer’s Office billed entrepreneur Norma Vicoy P214,528 for the event.

But Vicoy paid P150,000 and asked that the rest of the amount be charged to Andaya.

Andaya, who chaired the Mandaue City Council’s trade and industry committee, said he merely helped Vicoy stage the bazaar on the conditions that she include kiddie rides and provide stalls to the “I Am Mandaue Shop” cooperative.

“When the issue was out in the open, Andaya was heard to have hurriedly paid a portion of the amount to the City Treasurer sometime in the first week of January 2016,” Ngujo claimed in his complaint to the Ombudsman-Visayas.

Andaya earlier refuted the allegations that he pocketed the payment, saying the charges were politically motivated.

“That person is not a voter. No one knows about him. I suspect that he’s a dummy, a front,” he said.

Andaya said he learned that the cooperative backed out of the event because Vicoy charged P25,000 rental fee to each participant. She also didn’t set up any kiddie rides.

“When I heard about it, I assumed that she will pay the rest of the amount. She asked me to help lower the amount to be charged by the City Treasurer’s Office,” Andaya said.

Andaya is the running mate of Councilor and mayoral candidate Emmarie “Lolypop” Ouano-Dizon.

They are running against Rep. Luigi Quisumbing of Cebu’s sixth district and his running mate former vice mayor Carlo Fortuna.

City Treasurer Regal Oliva confirmed that they sent a demand letter to Vicoy.

But Oliva said they didn’t know anything about the allegations leveled at Andaya.

“We issued a receipt. We issued it to the organizer. If it came from Councilor Andaya or the organizer, that I have no knowledge,” Oliva said.

Mandaue City Legal Officer Omar Redula said his office will submit a reply to the Ombudsman-Visayas as soon as Mayor Cortes endorses the complaint to him.