The Office of the Ombudsman has dismissed administrative and criminal cases filed by a policeman against Silay Mayor Jose Montelibano for oppression and grave threats, Silay City Administrator Ignacio Salmingo said yesterday.

The Ombudsman's decisions said no probable cause has been found to indict the mayor.

SPO1 Dante Victor Escorpion, who is currently the chief of the Bacolod police Vice Squad Section, filed an administrative complaint for oppression and a criminal complaint for grave threats against Montelibano for allegedly pointing a gun at his head while making him kneel at the mayor' office in Silay City on Aug. 3, 2007.

The provincial government of Negros Occidental has proposed a P1,573,494,771 budget for year 2010, an increase of almost P196 million, compared to 2009 budget of P1.3 billion, records of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan show.

Board Member Miller Serondo, Finance committee chairperson of the Negros Occidental SP, yesterday said the proposed P1.5 billion budget was already approved on its first reading.

The Economic Enterprise Development Department of the province of Negros Occidental also proposed a budget of P514, 015,378 for next year.

Murcia Mayor Esteban “Sonny” Coscolluela yesterday said he is definitely running for congressman of the third district of Negros Occidental in 2010, while his cousin Sugar Regulatory Administrator Rafael “Lito” Coscolluela said he would consider running as a guest gubernatorial candidate of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD.

“We have to give Negrenses a choice,” the Murcia mayor said.

The United Negros Alliance, which is a coalition of various political parties, is fielding Sagay Mayor Alfredo Marañon for governor and businessman Albee Benitez for congressman of the third district of Negros Occidental.