City official accused of bribery denies raps

CEBU - A City Hall official earlier arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation for alleged extortion yesterday pleaded not guilty during his arraignment for the crime of direct bribery.

Engracio Lumangtad, chief of the Land Appraisal Division of the Cebu City Assessor’s Office, denied the case against him when it was read to him by the court staff of the Regional Trial Court Branch 5. The court has scheduled the pre-trial conference for December 15.

Lumangtad was arrested by the NBI a few months ago after he was caught in the act of allegedly receiving a bribe from a certain Francisco Bontuyan.

Bontuyan said Lumangtad demanded P45,000 from him for the issuance of the tax declaration of his property in barangay Pit-os.

Reportedly, the accused originally demanded P50,000 from Bontuyan to expedite the issuance of the tax declaration of the 2,000-square-meter property of his mother.

It was allegedly the second time that Lumangtad demanded an exorbitant amount from him for the issuance of tax declaration of his mother’s property.

Bontuyan said he had previously given P80,000 to Lumangtad in September for the issuance of the tax declaration of the 796-square-meter property of his mother in barangay Pit-os.

After the second time, Bontuyan went to the NBI who organized and entrapment operation.

On top of the criminal case that Lumangtad is facing before the court, he is also facing administrative charges before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas for grave misconduct. — Fred P. Languido/BRP (THE FREEMAN)