By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
Former Moises Padilla Mayor Francisco Nazareno and his private secretary Adrian Villaflor are being accused of corruption in connection to P90,000 in town funding going to Liza Enterprises for the 2010 Magayon Festival.
According to an affidavit submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman by municipal accountant Elsie Meguiso, Liza Enterprises is owned by Diana Frias-Nazareno, the wife of Francisco Nazareno, Jr., the former mayor’s son.
He asserts, as a public officer, Nazareno took advantage of his official functions, “willfully, unlawfully, and criminally” in order to provide “unwarranted benefits to Liza Enterprises” instead of going through a proper bidding process.
Meguiso’s affidavit was also approved by the local town council session on December 20 last year.
Following the accusations, the Office of the Ombudsman in the Visayas issued a letter to Nazareno, giving him 10 days to submit a counter-affidavit before proceeding with an investigation./WDJ