Antique governor faces graft case for P10-M rice mill project
Gov. Exequiel Javier
ILOILO CITY—Newly reinstated Antique Gov. Exequiel Javier has been formally charged with graft by the Ombudsman in connection with the use of his congressional allotment when he was then a lawmaker for a P10-million rice mill project.
In a 24-page resolution approved by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales on Feb. 4, the antigraft body found sufficient grounds to indict Javier, nine former and current officials of Patnongon town in Antique province, and a private individual for violation of Republic Act No. 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act).
The Ombudsman said the respondents gave the Greater Antique Development Cooperative (Grand Coop) “unwarranted benefit, advantage or preference in the full transfer of ownership, operation and maintenance of the rice mill machinery by using government funds.”
Also charged were former Mayor Henry Mondejar, former Vice Mayor Johnny Bacongallo; former Councilors Felix Gregorio Barrientos, Rene Philip Cayetano, Teopisto Estaris Jr. and Erika Orcasitas; Councilors Gemma Cepeda, Thomas Bacaoco and Al Brian Crespo, and Grand Coop chair Efren Esclavilla.
Politically motivated
Javier has repeatedly denied involvement in any irregularities. The reelectionist governor, an ally of President Aquino in the ruling Liberal Party, claimed that the issue was “politically motivated” and was instigated by his political rivals.
“I only provided the [Priority Development Assistance Fund] to the [Department of Agriculture]. It was implemented by the Department of Agriculture and the municipality of Patnongon,” he told the Inquirer in an earlier interview.
Complaint
The case stemmed from a complaint filed by Rosena Estaris in 2008 and from a later complaint by former Antique Gov. Salvacion Zaldivar-Perez and other people in 2010.
The project was implemented through a memorandum of agreement (MOA) signed on Feb 5, 2007, by the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Unit No. 6 and Patnongon that provided the transfer of P10 million from Javier’s PDAF to the municipality for its food security, livelihood and post-harvest facility program.
Javier was then representative of the province’s lone congressional district.
The municipal government purchased the rice mill equipment for P9.9 million from Alheed International Trading Corp.
But on Feb. 28, 2008, then Mayor Mondejar, with authorization from the municipal council, entered into a MOA with Grand Coop, “transferring” ownership, management and operation of the 40-ton rice mill to the cooperative.
The machinery was delivered and situated in Hamtic town, 24 kilometers from Patnongon.
‘Highly questionable’
The Ombudsman said it was “highly questionable why a local official from one municipality (Patnongon) would ask a P10-million fund to finance a rice mill machinery only to be finally installed in another municipality (Hamtic) … .”
It said Javier, “in conspiracy with other respondents, ensured the transfer of the ownership and installation of the [rice mill machinery] in favor of Grand Coop by stealthily following an orchestrated process.”
It noted that several of the incorporators of the cooperative were close political allies of Javier, including his liaison officer, Angel Capadocia, and Roberto Operiano, who had run for vice governor as Javier’s running mate.
Grand Coop’s principal office was at the congressional district office of Javier at Cabasan Building, Ricarze Street, in Antique’s capital town of San Jose.
It said the cooperative was primarily engaged in lending activities and not in maintaining and operating a rice mill.
But Javier said there was nothing wrong with the cooperative having its office at his congressional district office because several cooperatives in the province were also renting space there.
“I have nothing to do with the cooperative,” he said.
