San Fernando brgy chief sued for malversation of public funds

A barangay captain in San Fernando was charged in court with six counts of malversation of public funds through falsification of public documents.

The accused, barangay captain Catalino Baysa of Panadtaran, allegedly included in the barangay payroll a councilman who has gone absent without official leave and was already considered officially resigned.

The Office of the Ombudsman Visayas filed six separate information at the Regional Trial Court criminal division against Baysa, and a warrant may be issued soon against him with bail of P40,000 for each count of malversation or a total bail of P240,000.

The case stemmed from a complaint filed by Edward Natividad against Baysa for allegedly collecting the six months salary of former councilman Lowell Teves, who has been deemed already resigned from his post by the Department of the  Interior and Local Government.

Natividad also accused Baysa of nepotism when the latter appointed his wife as barangay health worker. The Ombudsman however found no probable cause to indict Baysa of the nepotism charge.

Graft investigator Alvin Cañares found sufficient evidence to hold Baysa for trial for six counts of malversation of public funds after Baysa alleged included the name of the already resigned Teves in the monthly payroll, from September 2001 to January 2002, at P2,300 monthly salary.

Baysa denied collecting Teves’ salary saying that it was barangay treasurer Rey Pangahin who collected the money purportedly to pay the councilman’s outstanding loan in the bank.

Baysa also claimed that the charges were merely a retaliation of the case for oral defamation he filed against Natividad at the Municipal Trial Court in San Fernando. He added that the filing of the cases against him was also politically motivated because Natividad has been a supporter of his political rival.

The Ombudsman however dismissed Baysa’s defense. — Fred P. Languido/RAE