Apostol ordered to pay for stolen vehicle

CEBU, Philippines - The Commission on Audit has ordered Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Pelagio Apostol to pay the monetary value of the vehicle issued to him in Manila, which was allegedly stolen three years ago while parked in front of his residence.

In a decision issued on March 30, 2009, the COA adjudication and settlement board denied Apostol's request to relieve him of accountability pending completion of the required joint affidavit of two disinterested persons cognizant to the facts of the loss of the Isuzu Crosswind the Office of the Ombudsman issued to Apostol.

In its 2008 annual audit report, COA held Apostol liable to pay the monetary value of the lost XUV net of the insurance which was computed at P93,253 based on the formula provided under COA Memorandum Circular 98-569A issued on August 1998.

The amount that COA has ordered him to pay was the excess of the insurance claim that the Government Service Insurance System has paid to the anti-graft office. GSIS paid P531,247 in 2007 following the non-recovery of the vehicle, which the government bought at P834,000.

Apostol reported on January 04, 2007 that the Isuzu Crosswind assigned to him while he was in Manila was lost while parked in front of his house. Apostol reported the alleged carnapping to the Traffic Management Group Task Force Limbas but the police failed to recover the vehicle.

The Freeman tried to get the side of Apostol, but the deputy ombudsman no longer entertains questions from the media. – Fred P. Languido/JMO (THE FREEMAN)