Drilon accuser noted for shifting political loyalties

PLUNDER COMPLAINT Manuel Mejorada (right), former provincial administrator of Iloilo, shows the plunder complaint he filed in the Office of the Ombudsman against Senate President Franklin Drilon (left). NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

ILOILO CITY, Philippines—Manuel “Boy” Mejorada is no stranger to political controversy.

The former provincial administrator, who on Wednesday filed a plunder case in the Office of the Ombudsman against Senate President Franklin Drilon and other top government officials in connection with the alleged overprice in the construction of the Iloilo Convention Center (ICC), has been known to frequently switch political sides.

He has also filed graft cases against Drilon for the construction of the Iloilo Esplanade as well as former Iloilo Rep. Augusto “Boboy” Syjuco and Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog.

Mejorada served as Syjuco’s chief of staff until they had a falling out due to personal and political differences. He has filed a string of cases in the Office of the Ombudsman against Syjuco.

Mejorada is also closely associated with the Tupas political clan of Iloilo and served as provincial administrator for nine years under former Gov. Niel Tupas, whom he also occasionally served as spokesperson.

Drilon, also an Ilonggo, and the Tupases are staunch allies in the ruling Liberal Party (LP).

During the May 2010 presidential election, Mejorada served as the LP provincial campaign manager.

In his complaint, Mejorada claimed the construction of the ICC, which is partly funded from the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) of Drilon and Malacañang’s controversial Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP), was a “high-level” corruption conspiracy.

This is not the first time that Mejorada, a former editor of the now defunct Western Visayas Daily Times, has sued public officials for alleged corrupt acts.

Mejorada has repeatedly said his blog posts, opinion articles and complaints were part of his campaign against corruption and malfeasance in government. He said his writings were in the service of transparency in government and the truth.

Critics, however, say that honest journalism is far from Mejorada’s objectives, pointing to his shifting political loyalties.

In a press conference during the May 2010 presidential election campaign attended by LP candidates including then Sen. Benigno Aquino III and Drilon in Sta. Barbara town in Iloilo, Mejorada presented a video clip to back allegations against then Nacionalista Party standard-bearer Sen. Manuel Villar.

The LP and Mejorada alleged that Savannah City, a Villar-owned real estate property, had violated agricultural laws and regulations in converting rice lands into a sprawling subdivision in Iloilo. Villar denied the allegations.

Drilon said Mejorada had served him as consultant and media relations officer. Mejorada was fired after he allegedly used the senator’s social media accounts to attack Iloilo politicians. Drilon later filed a libel case against Mejorada as result of his blog posts.