CamSur governor, 9 others charged with plunder

Gov. Luis Raymund Villafuerte Jr. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Camarines Sur Governor Luis Raymund (LRay) Villafuerte, who has filed graft charges against key provincial officials, now finds himself facing plunder charges.

Former Camarines Sur Vice Governor Mariano Trinidad on Monday filed plunder and other charges against Villafuerte, his wife and two sons, and six others with the Ombudsman for allegedly defrauding the provincial government of some P104 million.

“It’s my duty as a citizen to expose graft in government,’’ the 80-year-old Trinidad, who served as vice governor from 1968 to 1972, said in an interview.   He maintained that he was acting alone, and was not a dummy for Villafuerte’s rivals.

Trinidad alleged that Villafuerte used his position to amass wealth and, in connivance with other officials, defrauded the government of P104,500,000.

Also named respondents were Villafuerte’s wife Lara Maria, sons Miguel Luis and Julio Mari, provincial treasurer Leticia Aliorde, budget officer Mario Alicaway, provincial accountant Teresita Genova, Vida Reyes, Ann Tiongco and Kris Daniel Reyes.

In his complaint, Trinidad alleged the provincial government transferred in 2006 at least P18.9 million to a tourism foundation, the Camsur Kaogma Foundation Inc., of which the governor, Aliorde, Alicaway and other officials were incorporators.

The amount, remuneration to the Kaogma Foundation for the holding of the Kaogma festival, was not liquidated because it benefited a foundation, he said in the interview.

“While the amounts involved in these transactions are already mind-boggling, the circumstances surrounding the foundation and its dealings with the provincial government would prove to be more offensive to the sensibilities of Camarines Sur,’’ he said in the complaint.

In 2008, the government paid Post Ad Ventures P8.9 million, and Fookien Times P4.2 million to promote the Koagma Festival without conducting a “preprocurement conference” in view of the steep fees demanded by the two promoters, Trinidad said.

He added that the provincial government also contracted Post Ad Ventures for a fee of P9 million to be a consultant for the 2008 World Wakepark Championship without a project procurement management plan and a public bidding, among other things.

Trinidad also alleged that the provincial government purchased a 50-foot passenger ferry from Propmech Corp. for P15.9 million in 2006, but it turned out that its engine was not brand new. Propmech replaced the engine. He said the provincial government issued an advance payment of P7.9 million to Propmech despite its display of bad faith.