It all boils down to ‘Tom Jones’ affair

By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent

ALL of Mayor Oscar Moreno’s legal problems caused by former Taglimao barangay chairman William Guialani boil down to one thing: the so-called “Tom Jones” deal on the controversial Carmen market lease contract.

Guialani, a candidate for councilor, admitted this to the Gold Star Daily in an interview on Thursday afternoon when he said that if Moreno only agreed to mediate between Unitop General Merchandise and New Wishing Star Trading Corp. in connection with the lease of a space at Carmen public market, the case would not have been filed.

But on Saturday, Guialani took back what he said, and clarified that he would still file the case against Moreno even if the mayor brokered the talks between Unitop and New Wishing Star.

The former barangay chairman brokered the deal between city hall and New Wishing Star that went sour after the then mayor Vicente Emano and the city council rescinded the contract for the lease of the upper level of the public market for alleged breach of contract. The Emano administration then awarded a new lease contract to Unitop, New Wishing Star’s sub-lessee.

In late 2012 to early 2013, Guialani went ballistic, and started dropping a series of bombshells against the Emano administration, including the so-called “Tom Jones” deal. He alleged that on several occasions, he and New Wishing Star president Jacky Ching had shelled out cash–and even deposited money into the bank account of an official referred to as “Tom Jones”–in order to secure the now voided lease contract. He sought a refund.

Moreno’s erstwhile political allies, Councilor Roger Abaday and former city hall legal consultant James Judith, said it was clear to them that Guialani filed a string of cases against the mayor because of the controversial lease contract on the second level of Carmen market.

Abaday recalled that after Moreno defeated Emano in the 2013 elections, he was asked by Guialani to talk the new mayor into agreeing to New Wishing Star’s plan to take back the lease contract from Unitop.

“Mibalibad man si mayor, gi-ingnan man ko niya nga, ‘Trabaho lang ta, Ger, dili na lang ta mag-apil-apil ana kay ila man kanang kontrata ni Dongkoy (Emano),” Abaday said.

Judith, a former lawyer of Ching, said the same thing. “Mibalibad man si mayor, so akong gi-ingnan akong client, si Ching, nga wala koy mahimo kay alang-alang mamogos ko ni mayor.”

On Thursday, Guialani said Moreno stood firm, and personally told them that he could not grant their request.

Guialani said, “Human niya ug balibad, gi-ingnan ko siya nga sugod karon dili nako mo-anhi sa imong opisina.”

He said the meeting with the mayor took place about two months after Moreno assumed as the city’s new mayor.

Guialani said he and Ching went to Moreno’s office in order to ask him to mediate between the owners of Unitop and Wishing Star so they could arrive at a settlement.

“Ang among tuyo ni Moreno niadtong panahona kay siya na man ang mayor, nga iya lang untang ipatawag ang Unitop aron iya kami nga i-mediate pero gibalibaran man kani niya,” Guialani said.

But despite the rejection, Guialani said, he sought other ways to convince Moreno to agree on giving back the lease contract to New Wishing Star.

Guialani said he sought the help of Councilors Zaldy Ocon and Abaday, and Judith.

“Gahi gyud si Moreno sa hangyo nila ni Ocon, Abaday ug Judith,” he said.

What followed was a series of case filed by Guialani against Moreno before the ombudsman, including the case on the tax settlement between city hall and Ajinomoto Philippines. In Oct. 6, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales approved a decision to dismiss Moreno and city treasurer Glenn Bañez in connection with the settlement with Ajinomoto.