MANILA, Philippine – Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno faces plunder charges after five barangay leaders from the
City of Manila on Tuesday filed plunder raps against him. Vice Mayor Isko
Moreno and several other local executives were allegedly pocketed over
P70 million in real property taxes last year.
In an 11-page complaint before the Office
of the Ombudsman, William Ypon of Barangay 101, Elenita Reyes of Barangay 105,
Tito Caldoza Jr. of Barangay 106, Ominador Caccam Jr. of Barangay 107 and
Eduardo Solis of Barangay 116 also filed the same charge against city
councilors Marlon Lacson and Edward Maceda.
Aside from Moreno,
also charged were the city chairs including lawyer Simeon Garcia, city
administrator; lawyer Edward Serapio, secretary to the mayor; Liberty Toledo,
city treasurer; Rosario Planas, city accountant; Maria Pamela Manzano,
city budget officer; Siegred Hernane, chairman of Barangay 128, and his
councilors Albin Salamat, Ricky Hernane, William Depano, Jesus dela Cruz,
Marcelino Reyes and Ricardo dela Cruz.
Based on the
submitted complaint, the complainants
claimed that Manzano on Oct. 28 sent
before the city council that Barangay 128 has an existing fund of more than P25
million undistributed collections from real property tax (RPT). It is said
that the amount was disbursed to Barangay 128 on Dec. 2, 2013 through a
resolution, which was confirmed by the City Council. The second second tranche
of the RPT, amounting to over P52 million, was paid on Dec. 27,2013.
However, the
complainants said that the tax collection came from other barangays and not
within the territorial jurisdiction of Manila.
