Ombudsman pressed to rule on plunder case vs PEA execs

A civil society group is pressing the Office of the Ombudsman to soon resolve the plunder and graft complaint it filed more than two years ago against former officials of the then Philippine Estates Authority (PEA), now known as the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA).

In a motion, the United Filipino Consumers and Commuters Inc. (UFCC), through its lead convenor Rodolfo Javellana Jr., urged the Ombudsman to act on its complaint dated Dec. 15, 2014 especially as the legal issues involved were “quite simple and uncomplicated.”

The case arose from the PEA’s Aug. 23, 1988 sale of 410,467 square meters of reclaimed land to Manila Bay Development Corp. (MBDC) for more than P427 million.

Respondents included then PRA Chair Roberto Muldong, General Manager Peter Anthony Abaya, Board Members Virgilio Ambion, Manuel Medina, Edilberto de Jesus, Reynaldo Robles and Rene Enrique Silos. Also charged was former PEA GM Eduardo Zialcita. —Vince F. Nonato