ON MASSKARA FUNDS
Ombudsman junks raps
vs. 14 Bacolod officials
BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO

The Office of the Ombudsman has dismissed the charges for technical malversation and misconduct against Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia, Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson, and 12 other city officials, for lack of probable cause and lack of substantial evidence.

The criminal and administrative complaints were filed by Rufino Alcala and Carlos Montaño, barangay captains of Punta-Taytay and Tangub, respectively, against Leonardia, Sayson, councilors Homer Bais, Al Victor Espino, Catalino Alisbo, Roberto Rojas, former councilors Greg Gasataya, Jocelle Batapa-Sigue, Napoleon Cordova, Alex Paglumotan and Reynold Iledan, City Administrator Rogelio Balo; City Treasurer Annabelle Badajos; and City Budget Officer Luzviminda Treyes.

Bacolod chief Ferdinand Lavin of the National Bureau of Investigation yesterday testified that Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade member Eddie Fortunado, a respondent in the case for the murder of Judge Henry Arles, was not forcibly abducted, harmed and illegally detained by the NBI.

Lavin testified at the resumption of the hearing of a petition for a Writ of Amparo filed by Fortunado’s mother, Tessa, before Judge Fernando Elumba, Bacolod Regional Trial Court Branch 42, to compel the NBI to produce her son.

On August 22, Eddie Fortunado told the Bacolod court he was tortured into admitting that he participated in the murder of Arles, and claimed he did not willingly seek the NBI’s protective custody.

The Philippines has the third largest share of the US sugar quota for Fiscal Year 2013 allocated to 38 countries, information relayed by United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk to the Sugar Regulatory Administration showed yesterday.

The allocation for the Philippines is 144,901 metric tons raw value putting it in third place, with the Dominican Republic getting the largest allocation at 188,908 MTRV followed by Brazil with 155,634 MTRV.

The country specific in-quota allocations under the tariff-rate quotas on imported raw cane sugar, refined and specialty sugar and sugar-containing products for Fiscal Year 2013 cover the period from Oct. 1, 2012 to Sept. 30, 2013, Kirk said