Sinibak ng Office of the Ombudsman sa serbisyo ang isang incumbent mayor ng Camarines Sur kaugnay ng maanomalyang pagpapaupa sa isang gusali ng public market noong 2014.

Napatunayang nagkasala si Baao Mayor Melquiades Gaite sa mga kasong grave misconduct at conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

Nag-ugat ang kaso nang pumasok sa isang 25-year lease contract si Gaite sa Lamvert Consolidated Complex Development Corporation noong Mayo 2014 para sa pagpaparenta ng bahagi ng Baao public market building na sumasaklaw sa 1,704 metro-kuwadrado.

Paliwanag ng anti-graft agency, nabigo si Gaite na magharap ng ebidensiya na nagsasaad na isinagawa ang nasabing kasunduan matapos maglabas ng authorization ang Sangguniang Panlalawigan.

“The Ombudsman explained that under the Local Government Code of 1991, no contract may be entered into by the local chief executive in behalf of the local government unit without prior authorization by the sanggunian concerned,” anang Ombudsman.

Batay sa record ng Ombudsman, nabigo si Gaite na maipatupad ang probisyon kaugnay ng “goodwill money” para sa lease contract.

“Under this contractual provision, the goodwill money, consisting of P25,000.00 for the first 10 square meters and P1,000.00 for every succeeding square meter of the rented space, or P1,719,000.00, must be paid by the applicant-lessee. From this amount, 70% would accrue to the coffers of the municipality as trust fund, to be spent exclusively for the development of the market and its facilities, and the 30% will serve as the lessee’s deposit,” saad pa sa desisyon ng Ombudsman. (ROMMEL P. TABBAD)