FORMER MISAMIS ORIENTAL GOVERNOR, 4 OTHER OFFICERS FACE GRAFT CASE

THE Office of the Ombudsman has filed graft case before the Sandiganbayan against Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar Moreno and four other former Misamis Oriental officers in connection with the alleged anomalous lease deal of an excavator when he was governor in 2008. Charged along with Moreno were former Provincial Administrator Patrick Gabutina; former acting Provincial Budget Officer Elmer Wabe, vice- chairman of the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC); former acting Provincial Accountant Divina Bade former Assistant Provincial Engineer Rolando Pacuribot, a BAC member. The Ombudsman alleged from December 2007 to July 2008 the accused conspired in awarding to Equiprent Corp. the contract of lease of an excavator for over P4.040 million despite the lack of a public bidding. A P30,000 bail for each accused was recommended.

50 FIBERGLASS BOATS, FISHING GEARS GIVEN TO SARANGANI FISHERMEN

COTABATO CITY: Some 50 fiberglass boats and 50 sets of fishing gears wor th P5.2 million were turned over by Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol to the fishermen in Kiamba, Sarangani as par t of his “Biyaheng Bukid” program. Kiamba is one of the richest in Tuna production where fishermen there supply big volume of catch to the different fish canneries in General Santos City. He also committed additional P20 million wor th of funds for the construction of a 100- meter breakwater expectedly to be utilized by fishermen by the end of the year. Similarly, farmers in Kiamba also received P10 million in loan commitment under the Production Loan Easy Access Program ( PLEA) and nother P5.5 million for abaca farmers as par t of a 500- hectare production expansion. Piñol, in his message, urged rice and corn farmers to become service providers’ group to be able to apply for a loan to acquire farm machineries and equipment.