PJ Garcia told to explain Guadalupe ‘mansion’

The Ombudsman-Visayas was asked to conduct a lifestyle check on Rep. Pablo John Garcia of Cebu’s 3rd district after photos surfaced of the congressman’s “mansion” in barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City.

“No politician asked me to file this complaint. I’ve done this in my capacity as a private citizen,” Roberto Letaba said.

Asked by reporters what group he is affiliated with, Letaba said he belongs to the Volunteers for Junjun Davide for A Change but hasn’t met the candidate.

“No politician asked me to file this case. I don’t know Junjun Davide. Junjun does not know me as well,” he said.

Hilario “Junjun” Davide III is running for governor against Garcia, who’s vacating his congressional seat in favor of suspended Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia.

Letaba attached photos of the congressman’s residence in Guadalupe Heights as well as Garcia’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) from 2007 to 2011.

Garcia’s Guadalupe home was worth P900,000 in 2010 based on the SALN then the cost increased to P10.4 million in 2011.

Attached to the compalint was Garcia’s letter to Marilyn Yap, secretary general of the House of Representatives, repeating his instruction not to release his SALN to any requesting party without his written and prior approval.

“Why is there a need for his approval? The SALN are supposed to be a public document,” Letaba said.

In a press conference, Garcia welcomed the inquiry and said the compplaint was similar to one Davide planned to file earlier this month.

“Now, Davide is hiding behind the name of Roberto Letaba. This is a pattern, like the way he hides behind the name of his father,” he said in reference to Davide’s father former chief justice Hilario Davide Jr.

Garcia said he is willing to submit the documents that the Ombudsman needs about how he acquired his house.

He said he and his wife, Karen took a P10 bank loan to buy the house in 2008.

He said he spent P900,000 to acquire a lot with no road-right-of-way (RROW) in barangay Guadalupe for this.

“We acquired a RROW from a subdivision adjacent to the lot,” he said.

The congressman said the P10 million housing loan from a bank went to build the house.

“The house’s constructiion, the acquisition of the RROW and the property’s integration into a respectable subdivision would explain the increase in its value. Up to now we are still paying that 10-year bank loan,” Garcia said.

Meanwhile, Davide denied having any connection with Letaba. He said Garcia should be open to the investigation being a public official.

“As a public official he has to be transparent. I think he should not complain. We are public officials, accountable officials and we should be open about our finances and business interests,” he told reporters.

“I’d rather focus my time in the campaign. Well, except for that case we filed on the backfilling of the Balili property,” Davide said.

Previously, Davide challenged Garcia to let the public know their individual Internal Tax Revenue (ITR) forms.

Based on Garcia’s SALN as of Dec. 31, 2011, the congressman has four residential properties located in Guadalupe, Cebu City; Sudlon, Cebu; Pinamungahan, Cebu; Babag, Cebu City; Toledo City; and Dumanjug, Cebu.

His home in Gudalaupe has an acquisition cost of P10.4 million and an estimated fair market value of P14 million.