Ombuds to Mayor Puentevella: Answer malversation charges

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – The Office of the Ombudsman in the Visayas has ordered City Mayor Monico Puentevella to submit his answer within 10 days on the complaint against him for alleged malversation and technical malversation of the P50.5 million funds of the Bacolod Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee.

In the two-page order dated September 12, 2014, Acting Deputy Ombudsman Rodolfo Elman has "found enough basis to proceed with the criminal investigation of the case" that was filed against Puentevella when he was still a congressman and chairman of the BASOC in November 2005.

The case stemmed from the alleged mishandling of Puentevella on the BASOC funds when the city co-hosted the 2005 Southeast Asian Games.

The complaint, filed by Samuel Montoyo of the Save Bacolod Movement on May 7, alleged that four government checks were issued to Puentevella in 2005 as chairman of BASOC: P10.5 million from LandBank of the Philippines issued on July 28, 2005; P20 million from LBP on August 12, 2005; P10 million from Philippine National Bank on August 26, 2005; and P10 million from LBP on November 18, 2005.

Montoyo said the checks should have been deposited in the BASOC's account, or with any public depository account, but Puentevella allegedly deposited the checks to his own personal account at the Rizal Commercial Banking Corp.-Bacolod Shopping Branch, under Account No. 1422-158630.

The Commission on Audit, through state auditor Mario Lipana, sent Puentevella two demand letters in 2009, asking the mayor to account for the P50.5 million funds. However, Puentevella failed to render a valid and legal accounting of the public funds until now, the complaint said.

The first letter, which was sent on January 16 and was received by Puentevella's office three days after, was allegedly ignored by the mayor, prompting COA to send another demand letter, dated March 24, the complaint said.

The second letter contained its own findings on how Puentevella misappropriated and malversed the P50.5 million funds, the complaint stated.

According to the complaint, the COA letter said Puentevella issued "his own personal voucher" to cover his unaccounted disbursements or unaccountable expenditures, including as follows:

Refurbishing of the Pagla-um Stadium with P16,388,321.44; Pagla-um lighting facilities (P10 million); office facilities and beautification project (P368,422.50); transportation and travel expenses (P4.6 million); volunteers' honoraria (P655,414.75); opening and closing activities (P1. 68 million); beach volleyball facilities (P1,216,101); weightlifting facilities and activities (P1,615,105 and P125,125, respectively); media and promotions (P213,329. 29); ways and means (P592,400); practice venues (P368,380); and miscellaneous expenses (P1,125, 082.19).

Puentevella has yet to account the funds, despite the demand letters sent by COA, to this day, the complainant said.

The failure of Puentevella to render proper accounting of BASOC funds warrants the filing of a criminal offense against the former solon, the complaint stated further.

Montoyo has petitioned for the suspension of Puentevella as a public official "to prevent him from committing further acts of malfeasance while in office." The mayor however has yet to present his side of the case, as of press time.