Senior citizens complain of fund misuse

CEBU, Philippines - Five senior citizens from Barangay San Roque, Cebu City filed affidavit-complaints before the Ombudsman-Visayas, believing that the budget for elderly persons in their barangay was not spent by their officials for projects that would benefit them.

Romana Salamanes, Elsa Cabardo, Matilde Kyamko, Romeo Cortes and Romulo Buaya requested Deputy Ombudsman Pelagio Apostol to immediately conduct a fact-finding inquiry by requiring their barangay treasurer to submit documents related to the allocation for senior citizens of San Roque.

In their separate affidavit-complaints, the five senior citizens strongly believe that some of their barangay officials under Barangay Captain Rogelio Ruizo had committed malversation of public funds because they’ve been told several times that the barangay has no budget for the senior citizens, but they were able to obtain some documents proving otherwise.

Cabardo claimed that when the barangay conducted different activities like the celebration of the Senior Citizen’s Month, Christmas Party and some other senior citizens-related activities, they were asked by their barangay officials to contribute donations for food and for the honorarium of the driver of the Kaoshioung bus that they used in going to Simala, Sibonga late last year.

For her part, Buaya said in one of the senior citizens’ meetings, Barangay Councilor Julieta Balcon told them that the barangay only had P7,000 budget for the senior citizens for 2009, but it was already spent for their projects. Balcon reportedly said that their barangay did not allocate budgets for the senior citizens in 2007 and 2008.

Buaya and the four other complainants said they were surprised when they got some documents from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) which showed that the barangay’s budget for the senior citizens in 2009 was not only P7,000 but P38,812.72.

The complainants attached the copy of the certification issued by Councilor Mario P. Pamolarco, chairman of the Barangay Council’s committee on finance, that the P38,812 has been included in their 2009 annual budget. The law provides that one per cent of the budget shall be allocated for senior citizens projects.

Councilor Lidiore “Boy” Miranda supported the move of the senior citizens to bring up the issue before the proper investigating body so those officials who might be involved in the possible pocketing of said budget can face sanctions.

The barangay’s plan on how the budget will be spent was submitted to the office of DILG-Cebu City director Patricio Gabuya and it showed that the budget for the senior citizens amounting to P38,812.72 has been allocated only for a one day orientation seminar attended by 100 participants last October 2009.

The documents showed that P27,365 was spent for food at P273.65 per person, then the P1,000 was paid to the four resource speakers, P800 for the person who documented the event, P400 for the facilitator and the P9,247.72 were spent allegedly for supplies and other materials.

“Kadudahan g’yud tinuod kay hasta ang katapusang centavo nga budget gigasto g’yud. Ngilngiga no nahurot g’yud og gasto lakip na ang sensiyo?” said Miranda, who is not in good terms with the barangay captain.

The complainants said: “Wala g’yud mi kahibawo anang giingon nila nga orientation seminar nga gigastohan anang kwartaha.”

Ruizo earlier said he will answer the complaint once he will receive communication from the Ombudsman.

A few months ago, Barangay San Roque officials also became controversial when The FREEMAN gathered some documents that in one of their events for the disabled persons, even the late barangay captain Telesforo Rabaya, who died several years ago, was reported to be among those who attended and ate during the event.   (FREEMAN NEWS)