Former Comelec exec faces 46 counts of graft

MANILA, Philippines - A former Commission on Elections (Comelec) official is now facing graft charges for the embezzling P44.3 million for nine years, the Office of the Ombudsman said on Wednesday.

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales has ordered the filing of 46 counts of malversation of public funds against Gideon De Guzman, former Comelec director for finance services, for failure to account the money he received from 1998 to 2007.

Records showed that De Guzman, who was then special disbursing officer, received cash advances amounting to P44.332 million for various expenditures ranging from the expenses for conferences and meetings, and food allowances to gifts and tokens.

In 2008, the Commission on Audit sent a series of demand letters to De Guzman to liquidate the cash advances but to no avail.

"(De Guzman's) failure to settle and liquidate the P44.332 million despite repeated demands raises the presumption that he has either appropriated, took misappropriated or through abandonment or negligence allowed another person to take them," the 11-page joint resolution said. 

De Guzman was dismissed from government service in July 15, 2012.