Nueva Ecija politics is heating up with the vice governor taking the governor and his wife to court on graft charges.In documents filed with the Office of the Ombudsman, Vice Gov. Edward Thomas Joson accused Gov. Aurelio Umali, his wife Rep. Czarina Umali, provincial treasurer Edilberto Pancho, consultant Ferdinand Abesamis, and administrator Alejandro Abesamis of violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
In particular, Joson said, it was illegal for Umali to hire Edgardo Rillon as the provincial information officer because the Civil Service Commission had rejected his appointment.
Joson also complained about an alleged overpricing of 93 “multi-cabs” that were distributed to various villages in the province.
The provincial government bought these for P176,200 each, even though the supplier, HCK Motors, had quoted them at P135,000 each with free registration.
As part of his complaint, Joson said the appointment of Abesamis as a consultant violated the Local Government Code because he had been dismissed from government service during the Estrada administration.
Joson added that Abesamis “rules” the capitol, despite his status as a consultant.
Umali’s wife, the representative of the 3rd District, was included in the suit for donating P5 million from her countrywide development fund to the multi-cab project.
Standard Today tried to reach the Umalis for comment, but a call made to the governor’s cell phone was answered by someone who introduced himself as the executive’s chief of staff.
The person said Umali was in a meeting and that they would meet to discuss the matter later yesterday (April 22). – Joel M. Sy Egco (Manila Standard Today April 23, 2008)
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