By NITZ ARANCONCorrespondent
MALACAÑANG has ordered Mayor Oscar Moreno to answer another administrative complaint by former Taglimao barangay chairman William Guialani on the release of some P79 million in city hall checks that showed the local chief executive as payee.
But in the same order, Ryan Alvin Acosta, acting deputy executive secretary for legal affairs of the Office of the President, dismissed Guialani’s complaint against former city treasurer Glenn Bañez, city accountant Beda Joy Elot and city budget officer Percy Salazar “for lack of Jurisdiction.”
The order, dated Aug. 18, 2017, gave Moreno 15 days to submit his verified answer to Guialani’s complaint that city hall wrote eight checks amounting to some P79 million with Moreno as the payee.
In his complaint, Guialani said Moreno, Bañez, Elot and Salazar should explain why the checks showed him as the payor and payee.
“Ambot na-unsa nang pagka unsa-a nga bawal man unta ang mag-cash advance sa kuwarta sa gobyerno,” said Guialani.
Acosta stated in the order that Moreno may not submit a motion to dismiss the administrative complaint.
Guialani is the same man who filed criminal and administrative charges against Moreno before the Office of the Ombudsman pertaining to the controversial city hall-Ajinomoto tax settlement that resulted in a political crisis in the city shortly before the 2016 elections. The then vice mayor Caesar Ian Acenas attempted to assume as mayor because of a dismissal and disqualification order issued by the ombudsman.
The Court of Appeals then ordered to stop the implementation of the ombudsman’s ruling, an act assailed by Guialani. The former Taglimao barangay chairman subsequently filed an administrative case against the CA justices but the Supreme Court recently trashed Guialani’s complaint and upheld the CA rulings in favor of Moreno.