SAN PEDRO CITY — A city councilor has filed criminal complaints against Mayor Art Francis Joseph Mercado, Vice Mayor Divina Olivarez and other city officials before the Office of the Ombudsman here on Thursday.

The complainant, San Pedro City Councilor Carlon Ambayec, alleged that Mercado and company violated Republic Act 7080 for the crime of plunder and Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Ambayec said that Mercado and company authorized the purchase of a 12,274 square meters of land property amounting to P73,644,000 in Barangay Laram, San Pedro City without the proper legal proceedings.

"I went to the Ombudsman last Thursday to file a plunder case against San Pedro City Mayor Art Mercado and his other officials for purchasing a land property in Barangay Laram without any specific use or immediate plan that cost more than P70 million," Ambayec said.

The councilor noted that the property was bought at P6,000 per square, which is higher than the normal rate of around P2,000 per square meter in San Pedro City.

He also said there were informal settlers in the area.

Ambayec said that when a government buys a property, a relocation plan shall be provided to the informal settlers living in the area.

"I did not sign their resolution because it was the people or the taxpayers' money that they would use. They said the lot will be for the government's various future projects. That's a ridiculously huge amount they spent, which could be spent for other projects beneficial to the people of San Pedro," he said.

Aside from Mercado and Olivarez, Ambayec also filed plunder charges on fellow City councilors Michael Casacop, Sheriliz Almoro, Joie Chelsea Villegas, Leslie Lu, Atty. Mark Oliveros, Aldrin Mercado, Bernadette Olivarez, Jose Mendoza, and Vincent Solidum.

President of Liga ng mga Barangay Diwa Tayao, Sanguniang Kabataan Federation president Raphael Ty, city administrator Henry Salazar and 12 other city officials were also dragged in the case.

Ambayec said the mayor explained that there was no specific plan for the purchase of that land property in Laram. He said it can be used for the construction of a public hospital, school, government offices and housing, among other infrastructures.

"They bought the property without clearly telling us if we would be building infrastructure like hospitals, school, housing, or any government offices. The local government cannot buy any land property if they do not specify their plans for it. I know that is not allowed," Ambayec said.

"There was also no appointment of a board of assessors to assess the acquired property aside from not having it in their annual investment plan. The reason for the city to buy that property should be specified for what purpose or use."

Mercado, meanwhile, declined to comment and has yet to issue a statement on the issue.