Lawyers of Murcia Mayor Esteban Coscolluela are set to file criminal and administrative complaints against Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez before the Office of the Ombudsman in the Visayas today.

Coscolluela said yesterday he also signed letters to President Gloria Magapagal Arroyo asking her to investigate and dismiss Gonzalez, and to the committees on justice of the House of Representatives and Senate to  probe the justice secretary.

Another case will also be filed against Gonzalez before the Supreme Court on Monday, Coscolluela said.

At the Ombudsman he is filing a criminal case against Gonzalez for violation of the Anti Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and an administrative case seeking his dismissal.

On Wednesday Coscolluela filed a complaint against Gonzalez before the Bacolod Regional Trial Court seeking the nullification of what he called  an “anomalous, illegal and irregular decision” he rendered  involving the municipality of Murcia.

The filing of the charges are necessary in the light of Gonzalez’s act of issuing two conflicting decisions involving the constitutionality and legality of Murcia Municipal Ordinance 2008-02 entitled an “Ordinance Approving New Rental Rates as Determined by the Joint Economic Enterprises and Development Committee” that took effect June 23, 2008, the mayor said.

The first decision dated Dec. 12, 2008 dismissed the case against the municipality of Murcia, saying that acting on the ordinance in question was outside the jurisdiction of the DOJ but should be properly raised before the trial courts, Coscoluela said.

On Jan. 8, 2009, without anybody filing for a motion for reconsideration, Gonzalez issued another resolution overturning himself, the mayor said.

In the January ruling, Gonzalez declared null and void, and without legal effect, the ordinance passed by the Sangguniang Bayan of Murcia, that approved new market stall rental rates in the town.

The secretary’s decision of Jan. 8, 2009 contradicts his Dec. 12, 2008 decision and does not make mention or reference to the earlier decision, Coscolluela said.

Apparently Gonzalez forgot that he already declared that the DOJ is bereft of jurisdiction to entertain this case, Coscolluela said.*CPG

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