CDO mayor faces new graft raps

A new set of graft charges has been filed by the Office of the Ombudsman against Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar Moreno over the alleged anomalous award of contracts for the lease of heavy equipment when he was governor of Misamis Oriental.

Moreno was charged with two counts of violation of Section 3 (e) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act before the Sandiganbayan on May 28.

Acting provincial accountant Divina Bade, acting provincial budget officer and bids and awards committee vice chairman Elmer Wabe and provincial engineer and BAC member Rolando Pacuribot were named respondents in the cases.

Former provincial administrator Patrick Gabutina was included in one of the charge sheets.

The ombudsman said Moreno conspired with his co-accused in giving “unwarranted benefit, advantage or preference” to private firm Equiprent Corp. when it was awarded two lease contracts totaling P4.498 million without public bidding.

Bail was recommended at P60,000 for Moreno, Wabe, Bade and Pacuribot and P30,000 for Gabutina.

Moreno is now facing 14 graft charges before the Sandiganbayan in connection with alleged anomalous heavy equipment lease deals.

In a resolution issued last year, the ombudsman ordered the filing of 18 counts of graft against Moreno and former provincial officials over the supposed anomaly.