CEBU CITY – An international boxing judge and radio personality on Tuesday, September 24, filed a string of criminal complaints, including plunder and graft, against a congresswoman and her husband in Mandaue City.
INTERNATIONAL boxing judge and radio broadcaster Edward Ligas shows voluminous documents that he used to file criminal complaints against Mandaue City Rep. Emmarie Dolores ‘Lolypop’ Ouano-Dizon and her husband, Barangay Opao, Mandaue Captain Nixon ‘Jojo Dizon, before the Office of the Ombudsman for the Visayas on Tuesday, September 24. (Calvin D. Cordova)
Edward Ligas asked the Office of the Ombudsman for the Visayas to investigate Mandaue City Rep. Emmarie Dolores “Lolypop” Ouano-Dizon and her husband, Barangay Opao Captain Nixon “Jojo” Dizon for plunder, violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, falsification of public documents, and falsification of their Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN).
“This is a classic case of graft and corruption, a crime of plunder. I am filing this as a taxpayer,” said Ligas.
Ligas accused the Dizon couple of illegally acquiring a 2,500-square meter lot that was part of the 186-hectare reclamation contract between the city government of Mandaue and a private developer.
He said the property in question was acquired for only P2 million after they were issued a deed of absolute sale on December 16, 1992, which was way below its actual valuation of P50 million.
Ligas said the property is currently worth P70 million, computed at P28,100 per square meter.
“Their actions constitute a violation of the plunder law, as they have unlawfully amassed wealth to the prejudice of the government, specifically the City of Mandaue, and its people,” Ligas said.
Ligas added that on May 28, 1992, the Mandaue Regional Trial Court Branch 28 named the city government as the owner of the reclamation project that was conveyed and assigned to the Mandaue Realty and Resources Corp. through a memorandum of agreement.
The Original Certificate of Title for 186 hectares of reclaimed lot was issued on March 1, 1993 to Mandaue City. But on January 15, 2003, Marreco became the owner of the lot that was sold to the Dizons.
The Dizons then registered lot 1-K-3-F-2 under their names which led to the issuance of TCT 55310.
The transfer of title was done after the Dizon couple presented to the Register of Deeds two documents – a deed of absolute sale dated December 16, 1992 and a confirmation dated December 19, 1996 as proof that the property was already sold to them, Ligas said.
But Ligas questioned why a 2002 subdivision survey and a TCT issued in 2003 were annotated in a 1996 document.
Ligas added that when the property was registered under their names, Ouano-Dizon was already working as a private secretary for her father, the late Mandaue City Mayor Thadeo “Teddy” Ouano.
She continued to serve as his private secretary until June 30, 2007.
Ligas alleged that the 1996 confirmation was falsified to make it appear that the transaction took place before she joined government service.
“Simply put, graft and corrupt practices include bribery, extortion, and nepotism, which are characterized by putting self-vested interests above the mandate of serving for public welfare, accompanied by secrecy and deception without regard of dire effect to the public,” Ligas said.
He also accused Ouano-Dizon of violating Sections 4(a) and 3(h) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act for taking advantage of her relationship with then mayor Pedong Ouano, who was her grandfather and direct supervisor, when she acquired the government-owned lot.
Ligas also accused the couple of violating Article 171 of the Revised Penal Code by conniving to produce falsified documents to support their acquisition of a portion of the reclamation area.
“The respondents acted in concert and connivance with each other, in the commission of the crimes with clear criminal intent to conceal, falsify, and gain from the acts,” Ligas said.
Ligas alleged that Ouano-Dizon violated the SALN law for her failure to submit a true and detailed sworn statement of her assets and liabilities, source of income, personal expenses, and taxes paid in the preceding years.
“They connived to amass wealth with intent to defraud the city government of Mandaue that’s why we filed a plunder case,” Ligas said.
In a statement, the congresswoman insisted that the acquisition of the property was above-board, saying she was still a private citizen when the purchase was made.
“Krimen ba diay ang usa ka private citizen mopalit og yuta from a private developer? (Is it a crime for a private citizen to buy land from a private developer?),” Ouano-Dizon said.
Ouano-Dizon said she is ready to address the allegations raised once she receives a copy of the complaints.
As to the SALN Law that she allegedly violated, Ouano said it was the same issue that was raised in the past and was already dismissed.
Ouano-Dizon described the complaints as “harassment suits” as the election season is just around the corner.