By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
Former Negros Occidental Board Member Victor Puey filed a complaint before the Supreme Court (SC) against the three Court of Appeals (CA) justices who approved motions for reconsideration filed by Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia and former Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) chairman, Atty. Goldwyn Nifras, in relation to the alleged anomalous purchase of P50 million worth of furniture and fixtures for the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC) in 2008.
In a two-page document addressed to SC Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno, Puey characterized the decision by the three justices, identified as Germano Francisco Legaspi, Gabriel Ingles, and Marilyn Lagura-Yap of the CA 18th division, as a “grave miscarriage,” and claiming “corruption has won.”
He urged the chief justice to pursue an investigation into the matter.
Puey also requested the SC direct the said justices to inhibit themselves from resolving Leonardia and Nifras’ motions for reconsideration.
He also suggested imposing sanctions on the three.
Back in September, the Court of Appeals-Visayas Station overturned the Office of the Ombudsman decision, which dismissed the mayor and eight others surrounding the said purchase.
The justices noted in their decision, “We reject the findings of the Office of the Ombudsman relative to the petitioner’s liability for grave misconduct and gross neglect of duty.”
Last month, Puey filed a complaint affidavit to the Office of the Ombudsman to conduct a follow-up investigation, calling the CA decision “unfortunate.”
Additionally, the former provincial board member previously claimed the case had been prejudged by the CA.
In a letter earlier this year, he claimed the Condonation Legal Doctrine, or the Aguinaldo Doctrine, wherein reelection to office is considered an acceptance of the official’s actions, was already being discussed before hearing rebuttal to arguments made by Leonardia in his appeal.
He also highlighted a March 2, 2017 issue of a local newspaper with a headline reading
“Mayor’s camp expects preliminary injunction.”
He explained, with the said newspaper under ownership of the mayor’s family, “This only goes to show that they already expect and are sure of a favorable ruling.”/WDJ