Case not dead, it’s alive, says Guialani

By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent

IT ain’t over till the fat lady sings.

Former Taglimao barangay chairman William Guialani is not giving up yet on his case against Mayor Oscar Moreno in connection with city hall’s controversial tax settlement with Ajinomoto Philippines.

“Wala pa man koy kaso ni Moreno nga na-dismiss,” said Guialani.

This came after the Supreme Court en banc trashed Guialani’s administrative case against Court of Appeals associate justices over their issuances of a temporary restraining order and a writ of preliminary injunction in favor of Moreno.

The CA decisions prevented the implementation of a dismissal and perpetual disqualification order of the Office of the Ombudsman against Moreno and former city treasurer Glenn Bañez pertaining to the city hall-Ajinomoto case. The SC sided with the CA justices, stating that there was no wrongdoing on their part when they issued the TRO and writ of preliminary injunction as alleged by Guialani.

Guialani said the SC decision merely dismissed his case against the CA justices but not his case against Moreno and Bañez.

He however hinted about appealing the SC decision.

But in an earlier phone interview, Guialani said he has accepted the SC decision on his case against the CA justices, adding that he had nothing “negative” to say.

“Wala na koy reaction, dawat nata sa decision. We will accept it, and we will respect the decision of the Supreme Court,” he said in a phone interview.

He however said he resented that he was not given the opportunity to argue against the reasons given by Associate Justice Edgardo Camello and other magistrates.

He accused the post office of intentionally delaying the delivery of a SC notice. The delay, he alleged, prevented him from answering Camello and the other associate justices.

“Wala ko mahatagig chance sa pagtubag sa Supreme Court kay nadawat nako ang papil sa Post Office, human na ang gihatag nga remedy sa ako nga 15 days. Duha ka bulan ayha ko nakadawat sa notice sa Supreme Court. Pero wala na, nag-decision na ang Supreme Court,” Guialani said.

The high court has also dismissed the petition filed by Puntod barangay chairman Marvin Beja that questioned the CA’s order to stop the implementation of a six-month suspension order by the ombudsman against Moreno, city budget officer Percy Salazar and city accountant Beda Joy Elot.

The officials were ordered suspended by the ombudsman over Beja’s allegation that they caused the city hall lease of the Macasandig house of former provincial board member Jimmy Caiña without the city council’s approval. The 3rd division of the SC ruled that the CA did the right thing.