Occidental Mindoro mayor faces 10 graft raps for issuing quarry permits

MANILA, Philippines -  A town mayor in Occidental Mindoro is now facing 10 counts of graft for issuing extraction permits to several quarry operators from 2010 to 2011, the Office of the Ombudsman said Thursday.

 

Based on the resolution, San Jose Mayor Jose Villarosa is liable for issuing extraction permits which  is done exclusively by provincial governors.

 

"The authority of the governor to levy taxes and regulate the extraction of sand, gravel and other quarry resources in the province is singular and exclusive," the resolution read.

 

"There is no merit in respondent’s argument that the use of the phrase ‘the province may levy and collect’ operates as a tacit permission for the municipality to also levy and collect,” the resolution added.

 

It said that Villarosa’s acts indubitably gave unwarranted benefits to the quarry operators, concluding that “it is clear that the persons who have been granted extraction permits by respondent by virtue of the authority he unlawfully arrogated unto himself were able to exercise a privilege they did not deserve.”  

 

Meanwhile, the usurpation of authority case against Villarosa was dismissed for lack of basis.