Iligan City Mayor Frederick Siao is facing criminal and administrative charges before the Office of the Ombudsman over an unfinished market.

Lone District Representative Celso Regencia and five others sued the mayor for alleged violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, Article 217 of the Revised Penal Code, grave misconduct, and grave abuse of authority.

The complainants filed the charges before the Office of the Ombudsman in Davao City on Tuesday, February 18, 20225.

The case stemmed from the unfinished 960-square meter Pala-o Market project, which started during the term of Regencia as mayor and was not finished by the current administration.

“Akong gipangita ang hustisya sa kwarta sa katawhan sa dakbayan sa Iligan during the time nga ako ang mayor ug gitiguman nato na sa kantidad nga P590 million ug ang pagbidding ana niabot kini og P583 million kapin,” Regencia said.

The contractor reportedly filed a complaint before the Construction Industry Arbitration Commission (CIAC) against the city government and won the case.

“Bisan paman og naay instruction ang CIAC nga pabayran sa syudad kay ilahang gi-allege nga substandard daw ang merkado, ang CIAC engineers, wala man nakakita niini . So, instead nga bayran sa kantidad nga P268 million plus kining naay interest per annum, so, ang ilahang gihimo, wala nila bayri, gipakontrata og lain,” Regencia added.

For his part, Siao said the complaint filed against him before the Office of the Ombudsman was politically motivated, which Regencia denied.

“Para sa akin, dahil malapit na ang eleksyon, that’s part of political harassment kasi we’re from different parties at kami ‘yung lumalaban dito sa Iligan,” Siao said.

“Dili ni politically motivated. Ngano man? Si Siao, mayor man ang gidaganan. Ako, congressman man akong gidaganan,” Regencia said.

Siao could not comment further as he has yet to read the formal complaint.

“I would like to remind the public that siya ‘yung pumirma ng kontrata, meaning siya ‘yung mayor at that time. So, being the incumbent mayor na sumunod sa kanya, I am only following what was written in the contract,” Siao said.

The local chief executive added that the local government did not pay the contractor because of the discrepancy in the findings between the City Engineer’s Office and the contractor.

“There’s a findings from CPT or Carlito Talaboc Civil Engineering Services nga ang status sa atoang structural stability report kabahin sa merkado is below standard, meaning naay structurally defective,” Siao said.