Lung Center exec faces raps for P200 phone bill

The Office of the Ombudsman yesterday filed graft charges before the Sandiganbayan against a key official of state-owned Lung Center of the Philippines (LCP) for allegedly charging to the government his personal phone bill worth about P200.

Ombudsman Ma. Merceditas Gutierrez decided to pursue the case against LCP executive director Fernando Melendres despite recommendations by graft investigators to drop the charges since the amount involved was too insignificant. She ruled that the charges should be pursued since there is probable cause, regardless of the amount involved.

Melendres supposedly charged to the hospital certain calls he made on his telephone from June 13 to Aug. 12, 2001.

The Ombudsman also ordered a deeper investigation to determine if Melendres breached ethical standards because the calls were to his alleged mistress.

Investigators found that the woman has a child whose birth certificate has an attached “acknowledgement of paternity” executed by Melendres.

Assistant Special Prosecutor II Pamela Baring-Uy said among potential witnesses against Melendres are LCP’s resident auditor and accounting division head, and the corporate secretary of Digital Tele­communications.

Melendres also faces charges of falsification of public document after he allegedly altered a purchase order for a tarpaulin banner bearing the face of President Arroyo.

Prosecutors set bail for Melendres at P5,000 for the graft case and P30,000 for the falsification of public documents case.