Another suspension
sought for Cuerpo

RODRIGUEZ Mayor Pedro Cuerpo is facing the possibility of another suspension after assistant special prosecutor II Ma. Janina J. Hidalgo asked the First Division of the Sandiganbayan last April 25 to impose a mandatory suspension against him and three other public officials based on a pending graft charge.

Cuerpo's co-accused are municipal engineer and building official Fernando H. Roño, Barangay Burgos chairman Salvador Simbulan and police officer Renato Evasco.

The four allegedly ordered and undertook an illegal demolition of temporary shelters and tents of several families in Barangay Burgos despite a court order directing the municipal government to process applications for building permits filed by the complainants.

Hidalgo said the information against the accused is sufficient in form and substance and none of the four have raised questions on its validity. She said they even agreed to be arraigned on the charges.

Cuerpo was previously meted a 60-day suspension by the Rizal provincial government last February after nearly a year of fractious and bitter word war, legal and extra-legal maneuverings between the municipality and the Rizal provincial government on which entity has the legal right to regulate and operate landfills in the municipality.

Malacañang lifted Cuerpo's suspension last April 18 pending a final decision on his appeal to reverse the said suspension.

Meanwhile, vice mayor Jonas Cruz clarified that he did not say in a press briefing that the Commission on Audit was investigating the P422 million in missing funds of Rodriguez after COA denied it was conducting such a probe.

Cruz said the questionable transactions he enumerated during his press briefing were incorporated in the Comments and Recommendations in the Annual Audit Report for 2006. He said that in a letter dated May 21, 2007, which is an integral part of the COA report, COA regional cluster director Emmie Mendoza requested Mayor Cuerpo and the Rodriguez municipal government to look into the audit exceptions and comments and observations contained in the report and that appropriate actions be taken within one month from the date of the receipt of the report.

Cruz said the audit report questioned the P38.02 million spent in various infrastructure projects which were paid even without complete documentation and performance bonds; P2.9 million cash advances that have remained outstanding since year 2005; P253.9 million worth of municipal property and equipment that cannot be accounted for since year 2005; P129.64 million worth of municipal funds that are invalid and unreliable due to absence of complete subsidiary records as required by law; and P541,484.46 worth of dishonored checks that remain unsettled due to the failure of municipal officials to enforce administrative or judicial remedies.