was reportedly filed against him by the Ombudsman for Luzon with the Sandiganbayan, involving the withdrawal of more than P23 million for the construction of the town’s public market that did not materialize.
In a statement released through his counsel Lawyer Jose Michael Operario, the former mayor claimed that he did not authorize Cedric Lee, owner of Izumo Contractors, to withdraw from Land Bank P23 million as mobilization fund for the building of the Mariveles public market.
Peliglorio said he was planning to file a case for falsification of public documents against Lee.
He said the municipality’s loan of P120 million was approved by Union Bank on March 27, 2007 and assigned to Land Bank as trustee of the fund.
“On March 29, 2007, the Land Bank, in conformity of Union Bank and without informing me and the municipality of Mariveles, released P23 million to Izumo Contractors thru Mr. Cedric Lee on the basis of an alleged authorization signed by me which I deny,” Peliglorio said in his statement.
He said the banks refused to communicate with the municipality of Mariveles that prompted him to rescind the Loan Agreement and Trust Agreement with the two banks.
“The bank officials obviously connived with Mr. Lee and released the money without informing me and the municipality,” Peliglorio said.
He claimed that the mobilization fund was released a day before the March 30 election ban for the 2007 local elections.
Peliglorio said that the market was supposed to be constructed at a two-hectare reclamation land fronting the Mariveles Municipal Hall.
Incumbent Mariveles Mayor Jesse Conepcion said the plan for the loan was to transfer the public market to a reclaimed land along the shore of the town.
“Naka-loan pero walang project, walang reclamation walang palengke. Ang nakakapagtaka, ang pondo hindi pumasok sa municipal treasury ng Mariveles,” Concepcion said.
He said the mobilization fund of about P25 million went to Lee.
Concepcion said that when he won as mayor in the 2007 elections, he discovered that the Land Bank was debiting the amount of the loan from the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) of the municipality.
Already debited was more than P14 million.
