NBI to probe Capitol bribe February 19, 2009 in Iloilo news | Tags: bribery, Cedric Lee, convention center issue, David Bunevacz, Niel Tupas Sr., Secretary Raul Gonzalez Sr. | Leave a comment By Francis Allan L. Angelo DEPARTMENT of Justice (DoJ) Secretary Raul Gonzalez Sr. will assign a special team from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) central office to probe the alleged attempt to bribe certain Iloilo Sangguniang Panlalawigan members relative to the P350-million convention center project proposed by Governor Niel Tupas Sr. In an interview with RMN-Iloilo Thursday morning, Gonzalez said he has yet to receive a letter from Vice Governor Rolex Suplico asking the justice department chief to direct the NBI to investigate the bribery attempt on board members Mariano Malones, June Mondejar and Jett Rojas. Gonzalez said he might direct the NBI central office in Manila to send investigators to Iloilo if he receives Suplico’s letter request. “If the NBI can come up with an evidence that there is really a bribery attempt then a case can be filed with us. The tactical investigation will be done by the NBI and whatever they have will be referred to us for resolution just like what we did against rice hoarders. The findings of the NBI will be collated, identify the persons involved, identify the cases then we assign a group of prosecutors that will handle this case,” Gonzalez said. Since the case involves public officials, Gonzalez said the DOJ through the prosecution service will conduct preliminary investigation on the alleged bribery then decide whether it will be filed with the appropriate court. The DOJ, he added, has an agreement with the Ombudsman designating the prosecutors to probe and resolve allegations of graft and corruption involving government officials. “We will determine probable cause in the case then resolve it. If the official involved is above Salary Grade 27, the Ombudsman will first approve the resolution of the prosecutors,” Gonzalez said. Malones and Rojas claimed that a certain Cedric Lee, a consultant of the convention center project, offered each of them P300,000 to re-endorse the project in the SP. Mondejar, however, said no such offer was made during their meeting at The Promenade restaurant January 27. The meeting was arranged by provincial administrator Manuel Mejorada but he said he was not present and did not know the agenda. Mejorada said he could have discouraged Lee from offering money to the board members if ever the bribe yarn was true. Gonzalez said if the board members received money, they can be hauled to the Ombudsman while the one who gave money will be liable for corrupting public officials. “If there was an offer but no money changed hands, the person who offered the bribe is liable for attempted corruption of a public official,” he added. Governor Niel Tupas said he did not approve the meeting and the alleged bribery despite his eagerness to proceed with the convention center project to cushion the effects of the global financial crisis. The alleged bribe also spawned allegations that then board member Niel “Jun-June” Tupas Jr., now 5th district representative, received a P17.5-million advance payment from Lee’s company. Rep. Tupas Jr. denied the allegation saying it is just part of Suplico’s hallucinations. The DOJ chief said they can also look into the advance payment issue since it involved then board member Tupas. ‘Convention center project is dead’ February 9, 2009 in Iloilo news | Tags: bribery try, Cedric Lee, convention center project, David Bunevacz, Governor Niel Tupas Sr., Sangguniang, Vice Gov. Rolex Suplico | Leave a comment By Francis Allan L. Angelo THE Iloilo Sangguniang Panlalawigan has written the epitaph of the controversial P350-million convention center project endorsed by the Tupas administration. Nine members of the provincial board including Vice Governor Rolex Suplico have agreed that the project is now “dead in the water.” Suplico said they reached the agreement during the executive Monday afternoon at the SP session hall to discuss the alleged bribery of three board members. The executive meeting also discussed purported advance payment received by then board member now Rep. Niel “Jun-Jun” Tupas Jr. (5th district, Iloilo). Surprisingly, an ally of Governor Niel Tupas Sr., board member June Mondejar also agreed to bury the convention center project. Other board members present in the meeting were Jett Rojas, Giuseppe Gumban, Richard Garin, Macario Napulan, Celia Colada and George Demaisip. The opposition-laden SP in 2007 withdrew two resolutions authorizing Gov. Tupas to negotiate a loan agreement with Philippine Veterans Bank to finance the project and to negotiate the construction of the convention center. But last January 20, the governor revived the proposed project in his State of the Province Address (Sopa) as part of his measures to stymie the effects of the global financial crisis. Seven days after Tupas delivered the Sopa, board members Rojas, Mariano Malones and June Mondejar allegedly met with a certain Cedrick Lee in a hotel near the capitol building. According to Rojas and Malones, Lee offered each of them P300,000 if they agree to revive the project. Lee, the two board members alleged, was willing to give P50,000 upfront if they agree on the spot. Lee is the former business partner of David Bunevacz who was hired by the provincial government to conduct the feasibility study on the project. In several radio interviews, Mondejar denied the bribe offer. But Rojas and Malones both confirmed the alleged bribery attempt. Malones also clarified that Iloilo provincial administrator Manuel Mejorada arranged the meeting with Lee but the latter was not present in the January 27 dinner.
Posted on: Tue, 28 Jan 2014 03:42:31 +0000
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