CITIZENS CRIME WATCH HUMIRIT NG UPDATE HINGGIL SA IMBESTIGASYON KAY ISKO (Sa P1.4-B Divisoria Market sale)

NAG-REQUEST ang Citizens Crime Watch (CCW) ng update hinggil sa kasong isinampa noong 2022 laban kay ex-Mayor Isko Moreno dahil sa kontrobersiyal na pagbebenta ng Divisoria Public Market sa halagang P1.4 bilyon na nakabinbin hanggang ngayon sa tanggapan ni Ombudsman Samuel Marites.

Ang request, na nilagdaan nina Atty. Ferdinand Topacio at Diego Magpantay, ay may kaugnayan sa imbestigasyon ng Office of the Ombudsman sa mga “suspicious activities” ni Isko.”

“It is of public knowledge that sometime in August 2020, Domagoso sold the famous Divisoria Public Market for P1,446,966,000 to a an “Ermita-based” private firm named “Festina Holdings, Inc…. according to news reports, the tenant-vendors of Divisoria were not consulted or informed of the plan to sell the market,” nakasaad sa request.

Noong 2022, naghain ng complaint ang mga kinatawan ng Divisoria Public Market Credit Cooperative sa Ombudsman laban kay Isko dahil sa paglabag sa Republic Act no. 3019 na kilala rin bilang Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

“Notably, this is not the only time that Domagoso has been suspected of corrupt practice, as in the same year that the aforementioned complaint was filed, separate criminal and administrative charges were also filed against Domagoso before the Office of the Ombudsman in relation to the implementation of the no contact apprehension policy, including graft and corruption, violation of data privacy act, code of ethical conduct for public officials, oppression and abuse of authority, violation of due process and excessive penalties clause and violation of the Government Procurement Reform Act,” saad ni Topacio.

Ayon kay Topacio, ang request ng kanilang grupo ay bilang tugon sa 14 liham mula sa mga naghihinakit na vendor sa Divisoria na nagrereklamo dahil sa nangyaring bentahan, na isinagawa nang walang konsultasyon o abiso sa mga naapektuhan, at maituturing na isang uri ng pang-aapi sapagka’t pinagkaitan sila ng hanapbuhay.

“Given the peculiar circumstances under which the sale was conducted, and that there is already a plethora of existing cases against Domagoso for graft and corrupt practice, among others, there is good reason to believe that the sale was indeed tainted with illegal and corrupt intent,” saad ni Topacio.

Binigyang-diin din ng naturang abogado na kahit wala na si Isko sa public office, kailangan pa rin niyang managot para sa mga tiwaling at hindi makatarungang gawain sa kanyang panunungkulan bilang alkalde ng Lungsod ng Maynila, kung mayroon man.

“Thus, on behalf of the aggrieved vendors and in our crusade against crime and for good governance, we most respectfully implore your Honorable Office to conduct a meticulous investigation into the suspicious activities of Domagoso, including, but not limited to, the unjust and oppressive sale of Divisoria, among other matters,” dagdag ni Topacio.

“Thus, Section 15(1) of Republic Act No. 6770, otherwise known as the Ombudsman Act of 1989, and Section 13, Article XI of The 1987 Constitution, provides that the Office of the Ombudsman has the power to investigate and prosecute on its own the acts or omissions of public officers which appear to be illegal, unjust, improper or inefficient. On the other hand, under Section 15(7) of Republic Act No. 6770 and Section 13(7) of the 1987 Constitution, the Office of the Ombudsman also has the power to determine the causes of inefficiency, red tape, mismanagement, fraud and corruption in the Government and make recommendations for their elimination and the observance of high standards of ethics and efficiency,” paliwanag pa ni Topacio.