12th ASEAN Summit

ANOTHER employee of the Mandaue City government may be ready to come forward to tell more about how they were allegedly “forced” to sign cost estimates for the ASEAN lampposts.

The lawyer of Mandaue City electrical engineer Alfredo Sanchez said another respondent of the case being investigated by the Visayas Ombudsman called him to corroborate his client's statements.

Julius Ceasar Entise, legal counsel and nephew of Sanchez, said this respondent was thinking of retaining his legal services.

“He said he was willing to corroborate the accounts of Sanchez and that he just wants the truth to come out. He will decide whether or not to avail of my assistance but I told him don't take long,” Entise said.

The lawyer said his uncle, whose counter-affidavit was reported in the papers yesterday, now fears for his personal safety.

Entise said Sanchez called him Friday night before the news broke in the local dailies and confided his fear over his decision to admit that he was merely forced to sign the Program of Works and Estimates (POWE).

“He told me he was scared for his safety so I told him that he should stay home and avoid going out,” he said.

Entise said it was not true that the counter-affidavit was instigated by the Cortes family, political rivals of suspended Mayor Thadeo Ouano.

Ouano’s daughter-in- law Cheryl Ouano, who was identified as one of those who pressured the engineer, denied forcing him to do it.

Cheryl said she was just an ordinary employee of the city government and had no authority to dictate Sanchez on what to sign.

“Nakurat ko ba kay naapil ang akong pangan. Unsa may akong personality? Wa intawon koy personality para modiktar niya nga pirmahi na. Wa man ko’y personality, usa ra gyud intawon ko ka empleyado (I was shocked to learn that I was implicated. Do I have the personality? I don’t have the personality to dictate to him what to sign. I am just a mere employee),” she said.

Entise, meanwhile , said his uncle’s statement was not politically motivated. He said his uncle availed of his services just last week.

Sanchez and 18 other officials s are being investigated for “collusion” in the apparent overpricing of the lampposts. The officials include Mandaue City Mayor Ouano, Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Arturo Radaza and Department of Works and Highways (DPWH) officials.

Another lawyer used to represent Sanchez and fellow respondents, and told him they planned to file a motion for extension to answer the charges.

“It took a long time because my uncle fears retribution. When he said they would file an extension, I told him that he is in the risk of technicality if he does that,” he said.

Sanchez became skeptical when another lawyer, whom he refused to name, advised him to admit preparing the controversial POWE.

“Its effect is tragic. The head of office can claim that he merely relied on the regularity of the performance of his subordinates,” he said.

Entise showed a copy of the POWE prepared by the City Engineer's Office and submitted on August 2006 and the POWE submitted on November 2006, which Sanchez claimed he was forced to sign.

The one prepared by the city engineers showed several signatories. The document was prepared by Engr. Mario Gerolaga, checked by Rosalina Denque, reviewed by Gregorio Omo, and submitted by Engr. Hidelisa Latonio. It bore the recommending approval of OIC-Chief of the maintenance division Pureza Fernandez and approved by suspended Mayor Ouano and DPWH Regional Director Robert Lala.

The POWE submitted in November showed that it was prepared by Omo and submitted by Latonio. It was still approved by Fernandez and Lala and noted by Mayor Ouano.

Last Friday, around 400 people gathered for a candlelight vigil at the Marina Mall in Lapu-Lapu City to protest against the overpriced lampposts.

Members of the Mactan Island Chamber of Commerce and Industry along with Dilaab Foundation and Barug Filipino organized the activity dubbed as “Light a Candle for mactan: Businessmen for a graft free Mactan.

The event, which was ushered in by a Mass, had three speakers — Fr. Carmelo Diola of Dilaab, Vera Bajarias of the youth sector and Efrain Pelaez Jr. for the business sector. Chief of reporters Suzanne Salva-Alueta with reports from Correspondent Jhunnex Napallacan