2 town mayors, 4 others face graft charges

The Office of the Ombudsman filed graft charges against two municipal mayors and four other local officials with the Sandiganbayan yesterday.

Among those facing graft charges are Bakun, Benguet Mayor Bartolome Sacla Sr. and municipal treasurer Manuel Bagayao for alleged malversation of public funds.

The graft charges against Sacla and Bagayao stemmed from the complaint of the Commission on Audit-Cordillera Administrative Region, which alleged that they approved the issuance of a blank check for P5 million for the purchase of "ghost" medical supplies from DMI Medical Supply.

According to the Ombudsman, the COA discovered that the P5-million check was drawn from the trust fund of the municipal government without any supporting documents such as a voucher.

In addition, the COA also discovered that the transaction was not recorded in the town’s accounting books.

Meanwhile, the Office of the Ombudsman also filed graft charges with the Sandiganbayan against Mamburao, Oriental Mindoro Mayor Joel Panaligan, municipal treasurer Deoridina Reyes and municipal accountant Mary Anne Alcaide for the illegal use of public funds or property.

The Ombudsman acted on the complaint of Mamburao Vice Mayor Leonilo Villanueva, who accused Panaligan of making it appear that the casual employees of the municipal council were employed by the mayor’s office so he could sign their payroll and charge their salaries amounting to P22,080 to the general services fund.

According to the Ombudsman, Villanueva had disapproved the payroll of the municipal council’s employees as penalty for their frequent absences and tardiness.

Aside from the criminal charges, the Ombudsman also suspended Panaligan, Reyes and Alcaide for one month and one day for simple misconduct.

In a separate case, the Ombudsman also charged with the Sandiganbayan Efren Alvarez, former mayor and now city administrator of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija, for the anomalous awarding of a P240-million construction contract to an unqualified bidder.