FORMER Mayor Oscar Moreno issued a comprehensive statement on February 5, addressing accusations made by the administration of Mayor Rolando Uy regarding outstanding payments to Xavier University (XU) for the usage of Searsolin and Manresa dormitories during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Moreno’s statement, in response to what he deemed as orchestrated attacks by Uy’s administration, aimed to set the record straight concerning the alleged debts.
He refuted claims suggesting that debts totaling P7,805,365 had accumulated over 25 months during his tenure, stating them as “malicious lies and falsehoods.”
Recent verifications from Xavier University provided a stark contrast to the claims, revealing payments made during Moreno’s time totaling P22,881,081.28 over two and a half years, significantly higher than the P5,911,485.93 paid during Mayor Uy’s term, which spanned only one and a half years.
A letter of the XU, dated January 3, 2024, obtained by Gold Star Daily, concurs with Moreno’s claims.
“As our MOA ended last April 30, 2022, we would like to follow up the unpaid balance,” where they stated that for the Searsolin, the city government has a payable of P3,954,225.00,” the letter reads in part.
For its part, Manresa is çollecting the city government an amount of P3,851,140.
This, according to Moreno is proof that he made payments during his time.
“I am issuing this supplemental statement precisely to reveal the whole truth, and thereby expose the desperate efforts of the spin masters of the Klarex Uy Administration to resort to prevarication and falsehood to ruin me,” Moreno’s statement reads in part.
Moreno urged the current administration to address the remaining balance promptly, reminding them of substantial payments received from PhilHealth during his tenure, totaling P34,311,846, with more expected even after his departure on June 30, 2022.
The issue came to light earlier this year when Mayor Uy’s office received a bill from Xavier University for the extended use of two dormitories during Moreno’s term, totaling over P7.8 million.
This sparked a debate over the responsibility for the unpaid bills, with Moreno’s camp attributing it to administrative oversight.
BenCyrus G. Ellorin, a political spokesperson for Mayor Uy, criticized Moreno’s stance, labeling it as hypocritical, given the prior administration’s failure to settle obligations, including the debt owed to the Jesuit-run university.
“The former mayor is just trying to muddle the issue. The whole truth is in the January 3, 2024 letter from Xavier University. And he better not worry about Xavier University getting paid. That obligation will be settled,” Ellorin told Gold Star Daily.
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