BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occidental, Philippines – Former Bacolod City Mayor and Congressman Monico Puentevella plans to sue his accusers after the Ombudsman trashed their complaints cases against him for lack of probable cause and substantial evidence.
Puentevella disclosed his plan in a news conference here today, 5 July 2022, as he announced that he has received a copy of the Ombudsman order on the eight complaints filed against him and other City Hall officials by Samuel Montoyo and several other complainants in 2017 for alleged violation of anti-graft laws over the purchase of a 61-seater bus.
Jerome Solinap, then General Services Officer (GSO) and Chairman of the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC); Josephus Cerna, Assistant City Engineer and Member of the BAC-Technical Working Group (TWG); and Harry James Magbanua, Maintenance Foreman were among those named in the complaint of Montoyo, a former executive assistant of then Mayor Evelio Leonardia, who filed four of the eight cases.
Puentevella said he might file charges for malicious prosecution and abuse of power but this will be consulted first with his lawyers.
“We will first study in detail how we can file countercharges against these people,” he added.
“There is no forever in politics. You can’t always be on top.” Puentevella said to his accusers.
