Bulacan gov, others face raps for renaming road to Mighty

Bulacan Gov. Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado and other provincial and barangay (village) officials have been charged with graft and unethical practices by a retired judge of Quezon City for allegedly conspiring to rename a major road in Barangay Tikay in Malolos, Bulacan, to Mighty Road in honor of Mighty Corp., the country’s oldest cigarette manufacturer which is based in the area.

Aside from Sy-Alvarado, also charged in the Office of the Ombudsman were Vice Gov. Daniel Fernando; Michael Fermin, Felix Ople, Therese Cheryll Ople, Enrique de la Cruz, Ramon Posadas, Rino Castro, Enrique de los Santos Jr., Eulogio Sarmiento III, Allan Ray Baluyot, all members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan; Mark Cholo Vialogo, representative of the League of Barangays; Josef Andrew Mendoza, representative of the League of Kagawad of the City Council; Barangay Tikay Chair Celso Hernandez, Barangay Council members Alvin Salvador, Nanette Lausa, Roberto Hernandez, Gregoria de Lawa, Dionisio Cailipan Jr., Rickmark Marinduque and Cristeto Gaspar, and retired Judge Oscar Barrientos, executive vice president of Mighty Corp.

In her complaint filed on Jan. 29, Adoracion Angeles accused the respondents of violating Section 3 (e) Republic Act No. 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act) for causing undue injury to any party, including the government, or giving any private party any unwarranted benefits, advantage or preference in the discharge of his official, administrative or judicial functions through manifest partiality, bad faith or gross inexcusable negligence.

In addition, they were charged with violating Republic Act No. 6713, the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.

Angeles, 74, was born and grew up in Barangay Tikay, which was named after a bird called “tikal.” During the Spanish colonial era, a Spaniard asked a resident its name which the Spaniard mispronounced as “Tikay.”

Angeles said she represented Barangay Tikay residents who complained that the village council had compromised the interests and the good name of the barangay by making the move to rename its road.

She pointed out that Section 13 of Republic Act No. 7160 (The Local Government Code) is the basic law for naming local government units and public places, streets and structures. It stipulates that the provincial board may, in consultation with the Philippine Historical Institute, change the name of places based on certain conditions.

Angeles said the proposed new name of the road had no cultural or historical significance because it is the name of a private corporation.

Angeles attached to her complaint a handwritten petition signed by residents of Barangay Tikay expressing their “vehement opposition” to the provincial resolution to rename the road. They said they were not given due notice and were not consulted on the matter.