Several officials of the Bacolod City government are planning to file counter charges against a radio blocktimer who filed graft and administrative complaints over the alleged anomalous P971.86 million land banking project.

At a press conference, Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said there was nothing anomalous in the purchase of the 74.76-hectare property — about P13 million per hectare — from the Ledesma-Lizares family in Barangay Granada.

Benitez said the process of acquiring the property went through “rigid, stringent procedures,” and has no adverse findings in the Commission on Audit.

The procurement was part of the P4.4-billion loan secured from a state-run bank in July 2023.

The transaction, approved by the Sangguniang Panlungsod and signed by Benitez on October 11, 2023, was executed through an absolute deed of sale.

Benitez explained earlier that the land bought by the city government is part of the land banking for the housing program and various developmental projects.

He also recalled that the Office of the Ombudsman also dismissed the charges against the previous city officials who purchased the land.

Earlier, radio blocktimer Roger Ledesma filed graft and administrative complaints against Benitez and other city officials for the property’s alleged anomalous procurement before the Office of the Ombudsman on March 13.

Ledesma also questioned potential conflicts of interest, emphasizing that members of the city government’s land banking committee also served on the appraisal committee.

“If you know the complaint and his inner circles, you will know where that case is coming from,” Benitez said.

This is the first case ever filed against him, he added.

The mayor and several city officials said they had not received a copy of the complaint filed against them, and only learned about it on social media.

Benitez called the complaints “propaganda,” as the timing of the filing of the case and the personalities involved clearly indicate that it is politically motivated.

“My understanding is that the Ombudsman still has to determine if the complaint has merit,” Benitez said.

Meanwhile, Councilor Al Victor Espino called the complaint “malicious and politically motivated.”

“We will get into the bottom of this because there is a conspiracy that we are uncovering. Bigger people are involved,” Espino said.

He also noted that the complainant was “selective” in the filing of complaints to the Ombudsman, by sparing members of the appraisal and land banking committees.

Ledesma claimed the property is overpriced, which Espino denied, stating that they purchased it at P1,300 per square meter./WDJ