Tuburan councilor files complaint vs mayor

CEBU, Philippines - Tuburan Councilor Marie Segarra-Tabotabo filed an administrative complaint yesterday against Mayor Democrito Diamante and two others before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas.

In her six-page complaint, Tabotabo asked the anti-graft office to investigate Diamante, municipal secretary Agnes Hoyohoy and municipal accountant Laarni Pasaylo for serious misconduct, grave abuse of authority and conduct unbecoming of a public officer.

“Since my assumption to office, I have noticed several anomalies and irregularities committed by the administration of our present mayor, Diamante and the local officials which should be properly investigated and sanctioned,” the complaint reads.

When asked why she only now filed the complaint, Tabotabo told The FREEMAN it was just recently she was able to gather the necessary documents. She also claimed that filing the said complaint was devoid of any political motivation.

As stated in her complaint, Tabotabo said Diamante allegedly “directly and unlawfully” gave the members of his family financial advantage.

“To be specific, there are two business establishments owned by Diamante’s siblings which collect its income from the municipality and approved by the mayor himself. These are AJB Auto Repair Shop owned by her brother in law and sister of the mayor, Teresa Diamante Balbedo and Silver Plate Restaurant which is owned by Ruben Diamante, the mayor’s brother,” the complaint reads.

Tabotabo said the AJB Auto Repair Shop supplies the auto parts of the municipal vehicles. However, attaching in his complaint a picture of the establishment, she said it does not have any display of supplies.

Teresa was the mayor’s executive secretary, a co-terminus worker.

“The owners of the shop buys the required supplies in the city and sells them to the Local Government Units, at an overpriced amount, to the detriment and damage of the municipality,” she said.

For the Silver Plate Restaurant, Tabotabo alleged it was the official caterer of the LGU wherein packed meals, snacks and meals are paid by the LGU.

Not just that, she said the Silver Plate Restaurant was built on a municipal property without an authorization coming from the municipal board.

“It has not paid rent for the whole years of 2011 and 2012. They have secured a build-operate-transfer contract so that they need not pay rental and can use the property for free in the next 8 years,” the complaint reads.

Tabotabo said she cannot remember that there was a resolution approved by  the council pertaining to the Silver Plate restaurant that they can build their establishment in the municipal property.

Other issues

To determine if there was a bidding in the purchase of meals worth P250,000 during the medical mission dated Feb. 4 to 8, 2013, Tabotabo asked the anti-graft office to investigate the matter.

She likewise asked for the proper audit of the Tuburan Boulevard construction including the lampposts, the mayor’s budget for donations in 2011 and 2012 and the purchase of medicines in 2012 because of complaints that there were no medicines available at the health center.

Furthermore, Tabotabo said Diamante requested for an authority to transact with the WTG to rent a backhoe which she said has already been “consummated and completed.”

Meanwhile, Tabotabo said she asked Hoyohoy for the financial records of 2011 and 2012 sometime in Aug. 2012 but the latter failed to act. She said on October 2012 she brought the issue during the session but the latter only acted it on January 7, 2013 during their session.

Tabotabo requested Pasaylo a copy of the financial report for 2011 but the latter told her that the report was already submitted to Hoyohoy  on April 15, 2012.

It was on February 4, 2012, Tabotabo said, that Hoyohoy gave her the executive summary financial report for 2011.  (FREEMAN)