'You're still lucky'

Anti-corruption crusader to Oro mayor

CAGAYAN DE ORO Despite being hounded by a slew of graft charges, a critic of Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar Moreno said the mayor is still lucky.

“He (Moreno) 'got lucky' that the Office of the Ombudsman has ordered only the filing of graft charges instead, and not plunder as what it should have been,” said Antonio Nuñez, a self-proclaimed anti-corruption crusader.

Nuñez said he originally filed plunder charges against the mayor as he has spent P53 million for the "rigged project."

"Ingon ang balaod (The law says) that a public official can be charged with plunder if the accused has accumulated wealth amounting to at least P50 million through, in this case, misappropriation, conversion, misuse, or malversation of public funds," he said.

"Klaro man kaayo to na plunder kay pati ang contractor na nag-undertake sa project, ni-deny na naa silay involvement ug participation sa project, so unsaon man na nimo ug lusot? (It’s clearly plunder because the contractor, themselves, managed the project but later on denied their involvement and participation. So, how do you get through that?)," he added.

The law states that those found guilty of plunder shall be punished by life imprisonment, perpetual absolute disqualification from holding any public office, and government seizure of assets for whatever amount they gained.

Nuñez, however, said he respects the Ombudsman's decision and reiterated that the complaints he filed against Mayor Moreno is "nothing personal."

Nuñez has filed a total of 48 cases against the mayor, 18 criminal cases, while the 18 others are administrative cases.

He earlier said he filed the complaint "in his own capacity as a concerned citizen for the people of Misamis Oriental."

"I'm purely concerned for the people of Misamis Oriental, no personal interest, this is my own crusade, I have filed many cases, many are businessmen, dili lang kay pulitiko, tanan ang kasohan kay nagtuo ko na tanan dapat magpakabana," he said.

Mayor Moreno's legal counsel is mum on the new Ombudsman order for the filing of additional graft charges for his anomalous lease of heavy equipment when he was still governor.