Anti Corruption

PRESS RELEASE
March 8, 2012

Samahang Magdalo – Sipalay City welcomes
Plunder rap, complainant harassed

Criminal and Administrative complaints were filed Friday (March 2) before the office of the Ombudsman Central Office against the Montilla Family and their minions.

Oscar Chua Montilla Jr., his mother Soledad Chua Montilla, his sister Gina Montilla Lizares, his wife Maria Juana Jamora Montilla and several others were charged with Malversation of Public Funds, Plunder and violations of R.A. 3019.

Rodolfo H. Divinagracia, a resident and a taxpayer of Sipalay City, Negros Occidental, with the support Samahang Magdalo National Leadership (SMNL) and with the indorsement of Senator Antonio F. Trillanes IV filed the case before the ombudsman.

A statement of support from Samahang Magdalo National President Gary C. Alejano was read by former Airforce Captain Segundino Orfiano Jr., in a pre-filing press conference conducted at Quezon City Memorial Circle. On the same occasion, former Airforce Lt. Ashley Acedillo read the statement of Sen. Trillanes. Both were joined by Former Marine Lt. Filmore Rull.

Samahang Magdalo in Sipalay City,Negros Occidental were engulfed by euphoria with the filing of the long awaited case. However, merriment and excitement were relegated in private gatherings for fear of reprisals from the administration.

As a consequence of the filing of the case, Divinagracia was charged with a harassment suit. The case which was long filed in 2010 was resuscitated by the Prosecutors Office under the stewardship of Prosecutor Leila Presaldo whose husband is also impleaded in the case.

A Resolution for the Case of Estafa was issued immediately on March 6, 2012 (Tuesday). The information was likewise issued on the same day. And a Warrant of Arrest was reportedly issued thereafter.

Divinagracia deplored the lightning speed of the issuance of Warrant of Arrest. He said, “we anticipated this scenario all along,” adding that, “we have to bear the price of social change, if we want such change to come.”

Divinagracia also said that he is preparing to file Administrative Cases against Prosecutor Leila Presaldo. He also said that he “will file disbarment proceedings” against her and one Atty. Jufran Gamboa. He said that he has evidences to show that the case was made to advance political harassment and that the complainants were induced into filing the case by taking advantage of their weaknesses.