Barangay captain cleared of falsification raps

CEBU, Philippines - For lack of probable cause, the anti-graft office has cleared the barangay captain of Camoboan, Tabogon, Cebu of a falsification complaint.

Graft investigator and prosecution officer Irish Inabangan-Amores dismissed the complaint filed against Joseryben Rublica, but indicted barangay treasurer Rosmary Ruña.

“The evidence adduced pointed to respondent Ruña as the culprit of falsifications, and not respondent Rublica. Barangay Resolution No. 25-2011 proves that it was respondent Ruña who committed the falsifications of barangay documents,” read the resolution.

The fact-finding investigation stemmed from a complaint filed by the Field Investigation Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas and councilwoman Natividad Ruiz against respondents.

In the complaint, they alleged Rublica and Ruña of falsifying Barangay Camoboan’s Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) Resolution numbers 001, 002, and 020 indicating that the resolutions were deliberated upon and unanimously approved, when in fact there was no actual BAC meeting or resolutions passed.

Rublica, in her counter-affidavit, denied the charges, claiming it was Ruña who falsified the documents. She added she was even a victim of Ruña’s misdeeds.

Despite being summoned, Ruña failed to submit her counter-affidavit to answer the allegations filed against her.

With the foregoing facts, Amores cleared Rublica from the charges and indicted Ruña for three counts of falsification. —/GAN (FREEMAN)