PB clears Mayor Loot

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Provincial Board (PB) has cleared Daanbantayan Mayor Ma. Luisa Loot from administrative charges filed by Provincial Treasurer Roy Salubre.

The PB, constituting as a committee of the whole, dismissed the complaint for misconduct in office, dereliction of duty and or abuse of authority against Loot for lack of sufficient evidence.

Salubre alleged that the town only remitted on March 2012 the amount of P969,922.08 covering the period of February 2011 until June 2011.

He further alleged that the municipality failed until the filing of the charges on April 2012 to remit the share of the Province of Cebu for July, 2011.

Loot admitted the delay in the remittance but denied that the municipality failed and still fails to remit the share of the Province of Cebu for July 2011 to the present.

In her counter-affidavit, Loot emphasized that the complaint was filed on April 18, 2012 after the town remitted to the province its share of its revenues on March 9, 2012 and April 16, 2012 hence, the charges has been rendered moot and academic.

“After careful consideration of the arguments of both parties, the committee resolves that the evidence presented in the present case does not constitute substantial evidence of respondent’s administrative culpability,” the PB resolution reads.

The PB noted that the function of remitting to the province its share in the taxes is properly within the responsibilities and duties of the municipal treasurer as provided in the Local Government Code of 1991.

The PB also pointed out that the municipal treasurer is not under the municipal mayor but under the Department of Finance which exercises general supervision over the financial affairs of the local government units.

Loot earlier said politics was seen behind the filing of the charges against her because she is a political foe of Governor Gwendolyn Garcia.

Loot and Garcia used to be political allies until their falling apart after the 2010 elections.

— (FREEMAN)