Jun Torres

3 Josons rapped for ‘illegal donation’ of capitol equipment

PALAYAN CITY – Three Josons, two incumbent local officials and eight other former mayors and ex-provincial council members were charged before the Office of the Ombudsman for the alleged questionable donation made last year to certain municipalities of a fleet of heavy equipment and vehicles that provincial mobile clinic.

They were identified as Vice Gov. Edward Thomas Joson, his father, former three-term Gov. Tomas Joson III and Quezon town mayor Eduardo Basilio Joson, son of Tomas III’s younger brother, defeated governatorial candidate, ex-vice governor Mariano Cristino Joson.

The complaint was filed before the Office of the Ombudsman for Luzon by Dr. Raymund Sarmiento, officer-in-charge of the Public Affairs Monitoring Office of the provincial government based on the Special Order issued by Gov. Aurelio M. Umali.

Also named respondents were incumbent Bongabon Mayor Amelia Gamilla, Board Member Cesar Cucio, former mayors Jose Pocholo Dizon, fo Guimba and Marvin Martin, of San Leonardo and former provincial board members Bella Aurora Dulay, Jose Bernardo Yango, Cesar Eduardo, Leonardo Garcia and Allan Gamila. They are all Joson allies, except for Martin who is with the ruling Lakas-CMD.

Dizon is a former three-term mayor of Guimba and son-in-law of Tomas III’s younger brother, incumbent first district Rep. Eduardo Nonato Joson.

The complaint sought the preventive suspension of the incumbent officials pending the outcome of the graft investigation.

Tomas III was named principal respondent in the complaint because he executed at least four deeds of donations and the alleged illegal acts were committed during his incumbency as governor.

Edward Thomas Joson was named a co-respondent for being one of the board members when the Sangguniang Panlalawigan approved last year’s Resolution 37-A donating the heavy equipment to the towns of Quezon, Bongabon, Guimba, San Leonardo and Talugtog.

Sarmiento alleged that the respondents violated Section 3.e of RA 3019 when it passed on January 22, 2007 the resolution authorizing Tomas III to donate the heavy equipment to these towns.

He claimed that the respondents, in the “malevolent and reprehensible” performance of their official functions, conspired with evident bad faith to “seriously prejudice, if not totally paralyze” the then incoming administration of Umali, giving in warranted benefits to the respondent mayors.

On February 15, 2007, the complaint said Tomas III, acting on the Resolution “hastily executed” three deeds of donations that “generously” donated all serviceable heavy equipment and motor vehicles of the provincial government to his “cronies,” including the service vehicle of the governor, the provincial mobile clinic and other “luxurious SUVs” and utility vehicles. – Steve A. Gosuico