THE Office of the Ombudsman indicted on Wednesday Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar Moreno and city public services officer II Glenn Bañez for graft.
Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales ordered the filing of information for violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, or Republic Act 3019, before the Sandiganbayan for unlawfully entering into an agreement with Ajinomoto Philippines Corp. on the company’s tax liabilities.
In 2013, Bañez issued a notice of assessment to Ajinomoto covering its 2006 to 2012 tax deficiency of P2.9 million.
Last 2014, the city entered into a settlement agreement with waiver, release and quitclaim accepting the company’s offer of P300,000 as full settlement of its local business tax deficiency.
The agreement was entered into in exchange for Ajinomoto’s withdrawal of the civil case it filed before the Regional Trial Court of Misamis Oriental.
“There was no guarantee that it will win the case in the RTC and that the case might drag all the way to the Supreme Court,” Bañez claimed.
“Moreno and Bañez gave Ajinomoto unwarranted benefit, advantage or preference when they entered into the agreement with the latter without the required authorization from the city council,” Morales said.
