Former Bacolod Mayor Luzviminda Valdez yesterday denied the charges of the Commission on Audit that she had tampered with receipts at City Hall.

She said her lawyer is reviewing the cases since they believe that some evidences may have been tampered by administration officials looking for ways to damage or destroy her at the start of 2004.

City Legal Officer Allan Zamora said the COA had filed 10 counts of tampering of receipts against Valdez before the Office of the Ombudsman. He said he also filed one count of the same case against her. In all of the receipts audited by COA, the payee is Valdez and she also encashed them in the bank, Zamora said.

Valdez said there were inconsistencies in the case filed by Zamora against her basing on the documents he had attached. She said for example, that the receipt of the spare parts is dated June 12 but their duplicate was dated June 29 and the review of the documents was conducted in Sept. 30 when she was no longer in City Hall.

Valdez said the transaction went through the same process and was signed by several accountable officials before it reached the Mayor. "They capitalized on the fact that the reimbursement was in my name," she said.

"TAMPERING QUEEN"

"I can look them straight in the eyes and tell them I did not do it," Valdez said, adding that they cannot call her outright the "tampering queen."

Meanwhile, Valdez said she believes the government center project is over-priced by about P150 million. She believes the contract should be reviewed and the project rebidded, she said.

TEACHERS' CASE

Valdez also said yesterday that if ever the Commission on Elections should decide that the case she had filed against several teachers for alleged election fraud has no merit, she is willing to apologize to them.

Valdez had filed the case against the teachers who served as board of election inspectors after she lost to Mayor Evelio Leonardia during the 2004 elections.

Valdez said there were only nine voting precincts involved with three teachers assigned to each. Out of the 27 teachers only 12 had served in these precincts, she said.

"I hope they will not get it out on me," Valdez said.

She said she believes majority of the teachers are objective.

During the recent Peace and Order Council meeting, Bacolod Schools Division Superintendent Milagros Gonzales had informed COMELEC that because of the case, the teachers are hesitant to serve in the elections.

She said one of those charged for alleged election fraud had already died.

Meanwhile, Retired Bacolod City Engineer Loreto Dilag yesterday announced his decision to run for councilor under the Lakas Party.

Dilag, the brother of City Administrator Lorendo Dilag, said that although he was invited by Negros Occidental Gov. Joseph Marañon to join United Negros Alliance and run for councilor, he decided to join the camp of Valdez because he feels welcome there.

He said has been CEO for 10 years after serving the government for 36 years.

Asked to react to the statement of City Administrator Lorendo Dilag that she and Puentevella deserve each other because "Birds of the same feather flock together," Valdez said she believes she does not have to dignify his statement.

"If you point your finger to somebody, three fingers point back to you," she said.

In politics one cannot avoid being hurled issues because you have an opponent, Valdez said. The right time will come for them to answer these issues, she said.

Valdez said she also hopes that Transportation Assistant Secretary Ricardo Tan will give his support to Lakas, the administration party since he is an administration official. She claimed that majority of the supporters of Tan are with her.*CGS

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