San Roque officials face raps for sports event anomaly

CEBU, Philippines - The Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas has recommended the filing of a case in court against San Roque Barangay Captain Roger Ruizo and seven of his councilmen for alleged violation of the Anti-Graft and Corruption Practices Act.

The councilmen are Florentino Mauping, Jr., Julieta Balcon, Leonarda Pepito, Julius Mendoza, Mario Pamolarco, Alex Sillos and April Jane Salas.

On July 4, 2009, Ruizo and the barangay councilors passed Barangay Resolution No. 21-09, which provided for the budget of the barangays’s participation to the first day of the ParaGames Sports Competition on July 17-23, 2009 at Plaza Sugbo, Cebu City amounting to P13,850.

A document was attached to the resolution bearing the list of attendees in the ParaGames, which made it appear that the residents of the barangay participated in the event.

However, the list was allegedly bogus because those in the list reportedly did not actually participate. Proof of this was the presence of the name of former barangay captain Telesforo Rabaya who passed away long before the date of the activity.

“Thereby showing that the list of attendees is false and incorrect, thus accused in the course of the performance of their official functions had caused undue injury and damage to the barangay,” the Ombudsman said.

The Ombudsman said that other than issuing a general denial, the respondents failed to explain or even mention why the list included Rabaya and names of people who are not residents of the barangay.

A P30,000 bail is recommended for each accused. (FREEMAN)