17 Barangay Captains to stand as complainants, witnesses vs. Emano, Scantel

May 1, 2008

By Lizanilla J. Amarga

The 17 hinterland barangay chairpersons who were supposed to be beneficiaries of the botched P49 million Barangay Telephone System will be the complainants while others will be testifying as witnesses to the graft charges against former mayor now Vice-Mayor Vicente Emano and Supplies Contractor and Network Telecommunications Inc. (Scantel).

The move is seen not only to strengthen the case, but also, to exonerate the village chiefs from any “negative suspicion” that they have a hand over the failure and/or absence of communication equipments supposedly supplied and installed by the above telephone firm at their barangay years ago.

This particularly as there were documents uncovered that contained how Scantel had already completed 70 percent of the Barangay Telephone System with most of the 17 barangays already equipped with fully functional telephones thereby justifying the release of P31 million or 86% of the P49 million total project cost to the Commission on Audit (COA).

The following barangays were reported to have received communication equipment from Scantel including two working telephone lines: Barangay Baikingon chairperson Victoriano Alugar, Barangay Indahag chairperson Carmelito Damo and Barangay Bayanga chairperson Macario Damalan.

Also, Barangay Mambuaya chairperson Agustin Bagongon, Barangay Dansolihon chairperson Rodolfo Tabudlong and Barangay Tignapoloan chairperson Renato Rances.

Scantel communication equipment were also received by Barangay Balubal chairperson Pablo Bactong, Barangay San Simon chairperson Rodolfo S. Nacario, Barangay Pagatpat chairperson Rey Mabunay, FS Catanico barangay chairperson Bienvenido Pimentel and Barangay Taglimao chairperson Jocelyn Guialani.

There were also some Scantel communication devices accepted by Barangay Pagalungan Angeles Alarcon, Barangay Tuburan chairperson Eleno Tolentino, Jr., Barangay Tagpangi chairperson Anecito Gacang, Barangay Pigsag-an chairperson Salvador Misca, Barangay Tumpagon chairperson Dodie Alinggom, and Barangay Besigan chairperson Melenio Minister.

Former Cagayan de Oro city mayor now Senator Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. together with local opposition city councilors Roger Abaday, Zaldy Ocon and Teodulfo Lao are now calling and meeting-up with these barangay chairpersons to convince them to be either complainant or witness to the case.

This while 1991 Bar Topnotcher Atty. Koko Pimentel III, senior state prosecutor Atty. Rogelio Bagabuyo and former city councilor Atty. Roy Raagas with their legal research team are now amending the complaint affidavit to make way for the participation of these hinterland barangay captains.

Lao and Abaday said they understand how some of these barangay chairpersons are PaDayon Pilipino leaders for almost a full decade now and might not be willing to come forward to testify against Emano.

But lawyers said there is still a way to have those barangay chairpersons who are not standing up as complainants against Emano can be declared as a hostile or ordinary witness by the court.

Opposition lawyers explained that there is no guarantee that a hinterland barangay chairperson who will now come forward as a complainant or witness hinterland will not eventually be included in the information to be filed by the Ombudsman to the Sandiganbayan.

Still, they added that any involvement or suspicion against these barangay chairpersons who are standing as complainants or witnesses of the wasted anomalous project might just be overturned by their filing or witnessing against Emano and Scantel in this P49 million telephone project scam.

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Written by admin · Filed Under Cagayan de Oro