Update sa probe ng P1 .4 B Divisoria Market sale ni Isko, hiling ng CCW sa Ombudsman

HINIHILING ng Citizens Crime Watch (CCW) sa Office of the Ombudsman ang update sa 2022 charges laban kay ex-Mayor Francisco Domagoso dahil sa paglabag sa Republic Act No. 3019 na may kaugnayan sa kontrobersyal na P1.4 billion sale ng Divisoria Market. Nabatid na pending ang imbestigasyon sa tanggapan ni Ombudsman Samuel Martires.

Ang request na may lagda ni Atty. Ferdinand Topacio at Diego Magpantay, sa Office of the Ombudsman’s investigation sa “suspicious activities” ni Domagoso, at sinasaad na “it is of public knowledge that sometime in August 2020, Domagoso sold the famous Divisoria Public Market for P1,446,966,000 to a an “Ermita-based” private firm named “Festina Holdings, Inc…. according to news reports, the tenant-vendors of Divisoria were not consulted or informed of the plan to sell the market.”

Ang nasabing kontrobersyal na bentahan ang siyang subject ngayon ng scrutiny at controversy na noong 2022, ang mga kinatawan ng Divisoria Public Market Credit Cooperative ay nagaampa ng reklamo sa Ombudsman laban kay Domagoso dahil sa mga paglabag ng Republic Act No. 3019 o Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

“Notably, this is not the only time that Domagoso has been suspected of corrupt practice, as in the same year that the aforementioned complaint was filed, separate criminal and administrative charges were also filed against Domagoso before the Office of the Ombudsman in relation to the implementation of the no contact apprehension policy, including graft and corruption, violation of data privacy act, code of ethical conduct for public officials, oppression and abuse of authority, violation of due process and excessive penalties clause and violation of the Government Procurement Reform Act,” saad ni Topacio.

Ayon kay Topacio, ang kahilingan ng kanilang grupo ay bilang tugon sa 14 na liham mula sa aggrieved vendors ng Divisoria na nagrereklamo sa bentahan na ginawa nang wala mang konsultasyon o abiso sa mga naapektuhan na napagkaitan ng nasabing bentahan ng kanilang kabuhayan.

“Given the peculiar circumstances under which the sale was conducted, and that there is already a plethora of existing cases against Domagoso for graft and corrupt practice, among others, there is good reason to believe that the sale was indeed tainted with illegal and corrupt intent,” Sabi ni Topacio.

Iginiit naman ng abogado na sa kabila na hindi na mayor si Domagoso, kailangan pa rin niyang panagutan ang mga corrupt at unjust practice noong panahon na siya ay alkalde pa ng Maynila, kung mayroon man.

“Thus, on behalf of the aggrieved vendors and in our crusade against crime and for good governance, we most respectfully implore your Honorable Office to conduct a meticulous investigation into the suspicious activities of Domagoso, including, but not limited to, the unjust and oppressive sale of Divisoria, among other matters,” dagdag ni Topacio.

Binanggit ni Topacio ang mga batas na napakahalaga sa imbestigasyon at pag-usig sa isang krimen na ginawa ng isang public official na tulad ni Domagoso ay klaro sa pag-outline ng mga kapangyarihan ng Honorable Office of the Ombudsman na may kinalaman dito.

“Thus, Section 15(1) of Republic Act No. 6770, otherwise known as the Ombudsman Act of 1989, and Section 13, Article XI of The 1987 Constitution, provides that the Office of the Ombudsman has the power to investigate and prosecute on its own the acts or omissions of public officers which appear to be illegal, unjust, improper or inefficient. On the other hand, under Section 15(7) of Republic Act No. 6770 and Section 13(7) of the 1987 Constitution, the Office of the Ombudsman also has the power to determine the causes of inefficiency, red tape, mismanagement, fraud and corruption in the Government and make recommendations for their elimination and the observance of high standards of ethics and efficiency,” paliwanag niTopacio.

Ang CCW ay nationwide anti-crime watchdog na naka-rehistro sa Securities and Exchange Commission at existing na noon pang 1992. Nakipag-partner na rin ito sa Department of the Interior and Local Government bilang force multiplier at sa COMELEC bilang poll monitoring group sa krusada nito laban sa krimen at para sa good governance. (ANDI GARCIA)