Sandigan grants bail to ex-Bacolod mayor

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – Former Bacolod mayor Luzviminda Valdez, who has been in hiding since she was charged with malversation of public funds through falsification of official and public documents before the Office of the Ombudsman, may now post bail.

The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division, in its decision promulgated on Oct. 10, reversed the ”no bail” recommendation on the four cases filed against Valdez.

Associate Justice Ma. Theresa Dolores Gomez-Estoesta set the bail of P200,000 for each offense.

Valdez had filed a motion to set aside a no bail recommendation, claiming the ombudsman erred in not recommending bail.

The complaint stated that Valdez used falsified receipts reflecting padded amounts in her liquidation reports in 2004.

It also cited records of the city’s Mobile Health Clinic Program that Valdez tampered pharmacy receipts to show that an item that cost only P9.20 was worth P30,920, and another item that cost P65, was P50,065.

Another receipt for P95.25 under the Barangay Health Program was falsified to show the amount of P68,095.25.

An original cash slip of P510 from the Sta. Fe Resort and Restaurant was tampered to come up with a receipt amounting to P19,350.

A liquidation report on meals and accommodation show total expenses of P135,000 when the amount paid was only P3,253.