Ombudsman Junks Plaint Vs JVR

For lack of merit, the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas dismissed last week the complaint filed by vendors against Talisay City Mayor Johnny V. de los Reyes.

“The City Mayor is empowered by law to enter into contracts or agreements in behalf of the city, and whether or not the agreement he has entered into is valid or not, its not for the Ombudsman to decide,” read the decision issued by Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas, Pelagio Apostol.

Last year Januario Sarsonas and some market vendors filed a complaint against de los Reyes for implementing the memorandum of agreement when he allowed the vendors from Lagtang Public Market to transfer to the Tabunok Public Market.

The agreement provides that the city will have no liability if something untoward happens to the vendors while at the Tabunok Public Market, which was declared by the City Engineering Office as no longer safe due to old age.

The MOA also states that the vendors’ stay at the Tabunok Public Market is only temporary and that they will have to move out again once the construction of the new building starts.

These are among the provisions in that MOA that Sarsonas and some vendors asked the Ombudsman to investigate upon as they believed de los Reyes had violated some laws when he implemented the said agreement.

But Apostol said the complainants are obviously among those vendors “who do not agree with the relocation of market vendors,” and that their concerns only add up to “mere personal estimation and pessimistic assumptions.”

“These are not substantial enough to imply that the execution and implementation of the MOA spell misconduct or corrupt practices in public office,” the decision read.

For his part, de los Reyes said he was glad the Ombudsman dismissed such case as it proves that his administration is only doing what is right and lawful.

He said he has no intention to violate the laws especially that his actions are geared towards improving the city he is serving.