Two complaints have been filed before the Office of the Ombudsman for Visayas against Isabela Mayor Renato Malabor and several other officials for the use of the town's funds without the alleged benefit of public biddings, copies furnished the DAILY STAR showed yesterday.

The complaints were filed by alleged concerned citizens from religious and civic organizations through the Public Assistance and Corruption Prevention Office of the Office of the Ombudsman.

Named defendants in the case docketed as CPL V-0560 questioning the purchase of a brand new Case Cummins Road Grader amounting to P9 million from BJ Marthel/Kobelco without the benefit of a public bidding, were Malabor, Jeffrey Maningo of the Land Bank of the Philippines, and Isabela Sangguniang Bayan members Omar Gayares, Milagros Belzunce, Rodolfo Trespeces, Eleodoro Vinco, Arturo Bayona, Job Medenceles and Andres Chavez.

SC backs judge vs.
mine workers' raps
BY NANETTE GUADALQUIVER

The Office of the Court Administrator of the Supreme Court backed Kabankalan Regional Trial Court judge Henry Arles in the administrative complaint filed against him by former employees of the Philex Gold Philippines Inc. whom he enjoined against selling the levied properties of the Philex Mining Corp. in June last year.

The RTC Branch 61 in Kabankalan received on Thursday a copy of the Dec. 11, 2006 letter of Court Administrator Christopher Lock to former supervisors' union president Paulino Pampliega, informing Pampliega's group that his office cannot give due course to (their) administrative complaint.

The two groups of former Philex Mining employees filed the complaint against Arles last year for gross ignorance of the law and for rendering bias order after the judge issued the writ of injunction.

Dads defer action
on STL bid for city
BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO

A resolution unanimously passed by the Bacolod Liga ng mga Barangay urging the City of Bacolod to allow the operation of small time lottery in its 61 barangays was deferred Thursday by the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod for further study and public hearings.

Resolution No. 06-09, Series of 2006 was passed by the Liga ng mga Barangay of Bacolod City during its special session on Nov. 14, 2006, upon motion of Barangay Captain Rommel Sanson of Brgy. Taculing. It was approved by Liga president Councilor Arturo Parreño.