By DAVE SUAN ALBARADO
A graft and corruption complaint has been filed before the Office of the Ombudsman accusing Bohol Governor Aris Aumentado, Second District Congresswoman Maria Vanessa Cadorna-Aumentado, and members of the provincial board of several violations involving alleged corruption, conflict of interest, and economic sabotage.
The complaint, filed by Emmanuel “Willy” Ramasola on Nov. 26, 2025, charges the respondents with violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials, the Local Government Code, the Philippine Competition Law, the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act, the Administrative Code of the Philippines, and provisions of the Philippine Constitution.
According to the complaint, the central allegations involve a 15-year Port Terminal Management Contract awarded by the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) on December 6, 2023, to a joint venture including Tarsier Arrastre Stevedoring Services, Inc.
The contract covers five clustered ports in Bohol: Jagna, Tapal, Ubay, Talibon, and Getafe.
The complainant alleges that Cong. Maria Vanessa Aumentado held a stockholder and corporate officer position in Tarsier at the time the contract was awarded.
The complaint states that her name was subsequently removed from the company’s General Information Sheet filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 19, 2023—just 13 days after the contract award.
The complaint further alleges that relatives of the Aumentados were positioned as replacement stockholders and corporate officers.
These individuals are identified as Lirio Cadorna Arbilon, described as a cousin of Maria Vanessa Aumentado and staff member in her congressional office, and Rica Reina Cabagnot Aumentado, identified as the sister of Governor Aumentado.
According to the complaint, this corporate restructuring was designed to conceal the Aumentados’ continuing pecuniary interest in the port contract.
The complaint also names Marlito Uy, described as Governor Aumentado’s godparent, as a business associate who benefits from the arrangement.
The complaint claims that the Aumentados and Uy used their positions to impose exorbitant cargo handling and shipping fees that disadvantaged small business operators and consumers throughout the province.
The complaint states these actions violated anti-competition provisions and caused “dismay and frustrations among small business operators and ordinary passengers.”
A second major allegation involves provincial ordinances restricting the importation of pork and pork products into Bohol.
The complaint references Provincial Ordinance No. 2022-11, which restricted such imports allegedly due to African Swine Fever (ASF) scare. This was amended by Provincial Ordinance No. 2025-015, and further strengthened by Executive Order No. 13 issued in 2023.
The complaint alleges these restrictions were designed to protect the hog-raising business interests of Uy rather than address genuine public health concerns.
The complaint points to instances where hogs were shipped from Bohol to other provinces by companies allegedly connected to Uy, arguing this contradicts claims of an active African Swine Fever outbreak in the province.
According to the complaint, the restrictions left residents with limited pork supply options and forced consumers to pay elevated prices.
The complaint states the ordinances and executive order were “crafted to prevent free trading among businessmen including small backyard hog raisers from making a living.”
The complaint alleges that Bohol’s provincial legal officer, Atty. Handel Lagunay, has professional ties to Uy, having served as corporate legal counsel for Uy’s companies and maintained office space in property owned by Uy.
The complaint further notes that Lagunay’s wife, Lucille Lagunay, serves as a Board Member of the Province of Bohol and is identified as the principal author of the pork import restrictions.
The complainant argues these actions constitute economic sabotage as defined under Republic Act 12022 and violate anti-competition provisions under Republic Act 10667.
The complaint cites multiple statutes as allegedly violated, including provisions addressing prohibited business interests by local government officials, corrupt practices by public officers, conflict of interest definitions, ethical standards for public officials, constitutional requirements for public accountability, administrative code provisions regarding misconduct, and competition law prohibitions.
Ramasola is requesting that the Ombudsman’s Office conduct a full investigation and hold the respondents criminally, civilly, and administratively accountable for their alleged conduct.
The Sangguniang Panlalawigan members are also named as respondents in the complaint.