Ex-Pasig mayor slapped with graft charge

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 25) — Former Pasig City Mayor Robert “Bobby” Eusebio is facing a graft charge in connection with his move to give financial aid to a Camarines Sur town where his wife, Maribel, wanted to run as its district’s representative.

Tambuling Mamamayan ng Pasig lodged Wednesday a graft complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman against Eusebio, his wife, Pasig City officials, including incumbent Vice Mayor Christian “Iyo” Bernardo, and Pamplona, Camarines Sur Mayor Augustus Cesar Cruz III over a sister city agreement that gives ₱25 million from Pasig City to the town every year for five years.

“Clearly the intention was to give political advantage to Maribel Andaya Eusebio in her bid for a seat in the district at the House of Representatives during the forthcoming 2019 midterm elections,” the group said in a statement.

Maribel never got to run for Camarines Sur representative after the Commission on Elections cancelled her certificate of candidacy as she was not a registered voter in the province.

They added that the Eusebio family, which has ruled Pasig for nearly three decades before being defeated by political newcomer Vico Sotto, has caused “misery” among the people of the city for their “use of local government financial, physical and human resources” for their personal agenda.

The respondents in the case have yet to issue a statement as of press time.