By BEN SERRANO
Correspondent
BUTUAN City–Mayor Ferdinand Amante Jr. has threatened to file disbarment charges against five lawyers for allegedly accusing him of being involved in an attempt to overprice heavy equipment to be bought by city hall.
In a news conference on Friday, Amante said he would also file perjury charges this week.
Amante said he was falsely accused of being involved in the alleged overpricing attempt “when I had nothing to do or control of the bidding process.”
He said there were procedures followed by city hall’s bids and awards committee that did not involve him.
In Jan. 7, lawyers Clint Davalos, Dennis Bacala, Araceli Luyahan-Morcilla, Vincent Jose Fortun, and Dendo Udarbe accused Amante, BAC members, and the Cebu-based Con-Equip Philippines of trying to overprice heavy equipment amounting to P119.824 million.
The lawyers had petitioned a court to grant a permanent prohibitory injunction with prayer for the issuance of a writ of preliminary injunction and temporary restraining order. In Jan. 11, Judge Augustus Calo granted and issued 20-days TRO against the transaction.
Amante said the purchase of the heavy equipment has not been consummated.
Amante’s lawyer Froilan Montero said the mayor’s accusers have not presented proof of overpricing.
Montero said what Amante’s accusers presented were not original or official copies of bidding documents that were not even signed.
On Thursday, Amante filed a P60 million damage suit against lawyers at the 5th branch of the Regional Trial Court in this city.
BAC members also filed a damage suit against the lawyers. The BAC members Engr. Alebrto Buca (chairman), Dr. Josephine Chua, Armando Perez, Engr. Lourden Vismanos, and forester Alexander Alaan demanded P1 million each in damages.
Their lawyer, former city legal officer Nelbert Poculan, said his there was no Commission on Audit (COA) report that showed there was overpricing.
“If they are questioning the validity of the contract, then it should have been for the annulment of the contract,” he said.
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