By LITO RULONA Correspondent THE Office of the Ombudsman has dismissed the criminal and administrative charges filed against former mayor Vicente Emano, Vice Mayor Caesar Ian Acenas and a dozen others in connection with city hall’s move to void its contract with New Wishing Star Trading Corp. for the lease of portions of Carmen market. In a nine-page decision, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales dismissed the graft and grave misconduct complaint filed by New Wishing Star president Jacky Ching for lack of sufficient basis. Ching accused Emano and Co. of violating Section 3(e) and (j) of RA 3019, otherwise known as Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and of grave misconduct. Cleared together with Emano and Acenas by the ombudsman were councilors Adrian Barba, Annie Daba, Dante Pajo, Alden Bacal, Ramon Tabor, Dometilo Acenas Jr., Nadya Elipe and her husband President, and former councilors Simeon Licayan, Alvin Calingin and Juan Sia. Also cleared was Ricardo Lim Brito of Unitop, the firm that bagged a new contract for the lease of the Carmen market spaces. Graft investigation and prosecution officer Quintin Pedrido Jr. noted that New Wishing Star subleased the premises to Unitop, and that Ching’s firm failed to honor the provisions of the contract of lease. Pedrido said it was “the main reason for the cancellation or rescission of the said contract by [Emano],” and it was also “the cause for which the assailed ordinance was passed and enacted by the Sangguniang Panglungsod.” The ordinance, passed by the city council, rescinded the contract between city hall and New Wishing Star. Pedrido said there was “no evident bad faith, manifest partiality or gross inexcusable negligence” on the part of Emano, Acenas and the other respondents. The ombudsman said it found merit on the explanation of Emano that after the contract was rescinded and before a public bidding, Unitop was allowed to continue to do business in the interim, not only in consideration of the fact that it was the firm which actually introduced the improvements costing millions of pesos but also in consideration to the plight of the employees and lowly workers who may be displaced should the business be closed. Early this year, Ching’s pointman, former Taglimao barangay chairman William Guialani, filed a complaint against Mayor Oscar Moreno, city treasurer Glenn Bañez, city budget officer Percy Salazar, city accountant Beda Joy Elot, and city administrator Hilario Roy Raagas. He wanted city hall to void Unitop’s lease contract so that New Wishing Star could have control of the Carmen market spaces again. Moreno refused.