By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Anti-corruption group Task Force Crusaders (TFC) withdrew its complaint against Negros Occidental Provincial Engineer Ernie Mapa after the official clarified the issue with local media earlier this week.
TFC national deputy commander John Chiong confirmed his group will no longer pursue its charges against Mapa and denied politics were involved in their previous assertions.
Chiong said TFC received a complaint from a concerned citizen and “not Leo Galvez,” who is also an engineer. Mapa earlier accused Galvez of being behind the complaint and challenged him to prove the allegations.
A separate complaint was filed against Mapa by Galvez, Chiong pointed out, but said TFC had nothing to do with that case.
In his letter to the Ombudsman, Chiong claimed Mapa has “unexplained wealth, considering his ownership of eight units of private cars and three units of house and lot in a high-end subdivision.”
Last Wednesday, Mapa said the accusations are “baseless,” stating his family “only” has two houses and three cars.
“The houses were bought through mine and my wife’s hard work. Do we have any right to at least enjoy the fruits of our labor?” Mapa said./WDJ