Osmeña faces graft case over Rallos lot payment

A member of the Rallos family yesterday filed a complaint against Rep. Tomas Osmeña for releasing government funds to pay for a property that was donated to the Cebu City government.

Jack Rallos, who claims to be a relative of the lot owner, asked the Office of the Ombudsman in the Visayas to investigate Osmeña, congressman of Cebu City’s south district.

Also named respondents in the complaint were former Cebu city administartor Fransisco “Bimbo” Fernandez, retired court sheriff Antonio Bellones, and Lucina and Maurillo Rallos.

Jack said the respondents should be investigated for violating Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

In his complaint, Jack said he earlier approached Osmena, when he was still city mayor to advise him not to pay to the heirs of the late priest, Vicente Rallos represented by Lucina Rallos.

According to the complainant, he did it based on his knowledge of the property’s donation to the Cebu city government.

In case Osmeña would decide to pay for the lot, Jack said his family should also be entitled a share of the money.

Jack alleged that Osmeña released P21.3 million to Lucina’s group in 2009.

However, his family was not given a share of the money.

Jack described himself as the grandson of Francisco Rallos, son of Mateo Rallos who was the brother of Victoria Rallos, the owner of the lot in barangay Sambag I in Cebu City that was used as a public road by the city government.