Radaza hits back at trader, Ombud exec

AFTER nearly a year of being under the radar, former mayor-turned Lapu-Lapu City Rep. Arturo Radaza fired back at his perceived critics for filing a string of graft cases against him.

In an interview with local media, Radaza accused businessman Ephraim “Jun” Pelaez and Asst. Deputy Ombudsman Virginia Palanca-Santiago of political harassment by filing the graft charges against him.

Radaza’s recent outburst stemmed from the Sandiganbayan Second Division’s dismissal of the graft charges filed by Pelaez in relation to the Agus Cove demolition case.

Radaza alleged that Pelaez and Santiago conspired in a fishing expedition against him in relation to the case.

He said the Sandiganbayan correctly pointed out that the demolished causeway was far from the area being claimed by Pelaez.

Radaza said the foreshore application Pelaez had for the area remained pending and the businessman had yet to show a foreshore lease document with the court.

He said the Lapu-Lapu City Council authorized him then as mayor to demolish the illegal structures in the Agus cove in 2003 or three years before the demolition took place.

Radaza said the complainants had all the time to file a complaint before the court at the time.  Pelaez said they are still filing a motion for reconsideration on the Agus cove case.

Radaza also belied Peleaz’s claims that the computer units bought by the Lapu-Lapu city government were not used by the schools of the city’s islets since they bought a generator set to power them.

Radaza likewise defended himself on corruption charges in relation to the overpriced purchase of lampposts in Lapu-Lapu City and other parts of Metro Cebu.

“The government sourced the funds for the lampposts from the Motor Vehicles Users’ Fund. The local officials didn’t sign an agreement nor joined the bidding for the lampposts,” he said. Correspondent Norman V. Mendoza