Not a laughing matter

A COMEDIAN-turned-politician is facing an estafa complaint in the Quezon City Prosecutor?s Office for allegedly encouraging a contractor to engage in a bogus P180-million shopping mall project in Subic, Zambales. Abucay (Bataan) Councilor Teri Onor was charged with estafa and violation of Batas Pambansa Blg. 22, or the Bouncing Check Law, after a complaint was filed against him by Rosalinda Valencia, a resident of Filinvest I, Quezon City. Onor, whose real name is Dexter Dominguez, was a former vice mayor of Abucay. Valencia alleged that sometime in September 2009, Onor allegedly convinced her to give him P240,000 for expenses for a sub-contracting construction project of a P180-million shopping mall in Subic. After giving him the amount, she said she later learned that Onor?s claims were fraudulent as the politician allegedly evaded her whenever she would ask when she would get the construction project. She also claimed that Onor never showed her any construction plan for the planned shopping complex. When Valencia asked for her money back, Onor allegedly issued her postdated checks that were later dishonored by the bank for insufficiency of funds. Julie M. Aurelio