Vizcaya ‘little ex- governor’ charged

SOLANO, Nueva Vizcaya -- Former Acting Provincial Administrator Manuel Nilves Tabora, who was also Nueva Vizcaya’s Budget Officer, has been slapped with a graft and breach of conduct charge before the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division for receiving money in exchange of his services as a local government official.

Tabora was accused of violating Section 3(e) of R.A. 3019, also known as the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and Section 7(d) of R.A. 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials by Graft Investigation and Prosecution Officer III Sergio Duke Villar.

On the charge sheets filed against him, Tabora reportedly received P250,000 on April 12, 2011 from Steven R. Shieldkret, representative of International Minerals Marketing and Advising Inc. (IMMAI).

The money was in exchange for his assistance in securing the required permits for IMMAI for one of its ore trading business.

These permits are the Ore Transport Permit and the Mineral Ore Expert Permit, which are issued under the authority of the Provincial Mining Regulatory Board (PMRB), where the provincial governor sits either as chairman or member.

His bail bond has been set at P60,000.

Shieldkret will serve as a witness in the case against Tabora.