Barangay official denies misuse of senior citizens funds

CEBU, Philippines – An official of Barangay San Roque this city yesterday denied involvement in the alleged misuse of funds intended for the elderly residents in the barangay.

Councilwoman Julieta Balcon, head of barangay's committee on social services, is facing charges with the Ombudsman for alleged malversation of funds. The complainants, all members of the senior citizens group in San Roque, allege the barangay had spent some P38,000 of senior citizens funds for other purposes and not for projects that would benefit them.

Barangay Captain Rogelio Ruizo was included in the complaint.

In an interview with The Freeman yesterday, Balcon said the move is politically motivated because the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections are fast approaching.

She said there are rumors that one of the complainants, Romulo Buaya, wants to run in the election under the group of incumbent councilman Lidiore Miranda who plans to run for barangay captain. Miranda is supporting the complaint at the Ombudsman.

Balcon said most of the complainants are reportedly inactive members of the senior citizens group, thus, they have no knowledge of the status of the budget for senior citizens.

In a report published in The Freeman last month, complainants said that the P38, 812.72 senior citizens allocation for 2009 was only spent for one activity - a one-day orientation seminar last October.

The barangay allegedly did not appropriate funds for other activities like the Senior Citizens' Month and Christmas Party, but instead asked the members for contributions. Balcon denied these allegations.

She said that members of the senior citizens group are the ones who decide on their activities even without consulting with her committee. She said she would only be informed about a certain activity after the same has been planned out.

One example, she said, is the agreement to contribute for the honorarium of the driver of the Kaoshiung bus the senior citizens used in going to Simala in Sibonga last year.

Balcon, nevertheless, admitted that she mistakenly mentioned in one of their meetings that the senior citizens budget for 2009 is only P7,000 when, in fact, it is actually P38,812.

But she reportedly corrected the information in the subsequent meetings, which the complainants allegedly did not attend.

As to whether the P38,812 was properly accounted for, she said that only the barangay treasurer can answer because all purchases were done by the treasurer in coordination with their Gender and Development focal person. (THE FREEMAN)