Hagedorn decries ‘ludicrous’ P65 -M plunder rap

FORMER Puerto Princesa City Mayor Edward Hagedorn slammed a P65 million plunder complaint lodged against him and other city officials by supporters of incumbent Mayor Lucio Bayron as “ludicrous and condemnable.”

BACKSTORY: Plunder case filed vs Hagedorn as Puerto Princesa recall election nears

In a statement on Monday, Hagedorn said that he will file perjury charges against Rodrigo Saucelo, Wilfredo Rama and Antonio Lagrada who filed the said plunder case before the Ombudsman for Luzon last April 7.

He said that the plunder complaint stems from the recall elections which will be held in the city on May 8 where he and Bayron will face off.

“The imminent recall of Mayor Lucilo Bayron in the forthcoming elections on May 8 was the principal reason for the filing of the questionable, baseless and legally flawed plunder case,” Hagedorn said.

“At the outset, this plunder case is ludicrous and condemnable because it is a blatant and desperate attempt to tar and wreck the reputation of possible opponents even before the filing of certificates of candidacy is held on May 22,” the former Puerto Princesa City chief executive said.

Hagedorn also said that the complainants culled and misinterpreted “questionable” data from Commission on Audit documents which they cited in the plunder case.

“For all intents and purposes, this plunder complaint is a vile dirty tricks operation based on outrageously faulty and reckless legal premises to prop up the crumbling candidacy of beleaguered Mayor Bayron whose tenure is being cut short by the people of Puerto Princesa,” Hagedorn said.

The complainants alleged that in 18 separate reimbursement transactions from 2008 to 2010, which amounted to P65 million, there were no “receipts, vouchers and supporting documents.” The transactions allegedly happened during Hagedorn’s term.

The plunder case cited Hagedorn and former city administrator Agustin Rocamora as principal respondents and other unidentified city officials.

The recall elections for the mayoralty post was mounted by supporters of Hagedorn who gathered 20,000 elections in the city to give way for the polls. AC