Task Force Tagovill still investigating another angle in the mess in Misamis Oriental despite dismissal on extortion case

Miami
May 18, 2008
Story 3: Task Force Tagovill still investigating another angle in the mess in Misamis Oriental despite dismissal on extortion case

Investigators on the chaos between Hanjin and Mayor of the town of Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental were still investigating the case despite the dismissal of the extortion and bribery case because there are no complainants on both side.

Sr. Supt. Joel Coronel, lead investigator of Task Force Tagovill said, “We have no substantive evidence to indicate that there was an extortion actually made by local government officials with the Hanjin executives. However, we are reviewing the actions taken by the local government officials which we consider might be tantamount to abuse of authority in the issuance of a stoppage order in Hanjin to the local subcontractors.”

Though he clear that if there will be no complainants as well or strong evidence on it, they will close the investigation as well. If there will be evidence against local government officials the CIDG will file administrative charges against the local government officials for abuse of authority and not for extortion.

It can be recalled that Tagoloan Mayor Paulino Emano ordered stoppage of the Hanjin operations because of the alleged non-filing of proper documents. However, Emano lift the order immediately after talking to the President last April 30, 2008., “after realizing the economic importance of such project to the local government and the whole country, I was prompted to issue an executive order lifting the previous order of stoppage,” Emano said on his affidavit dated May 2, 2008.

Coronel said they are getting in touch with the local subcontractors for a possible irregularities that might occurred between them and the local government