Ex-Guadalupe officials plead not guilty to graft

CEBU, Philippines - The former officials of Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City yesterday pleaded not guilty on the alleged misuse of P6.5 million Priority Development Assistance Fund granted to the barangay in 2006 and 2007.

Former barangay captain Eugenio Faelnar and former councilmen Alex Semilla, Ruben Baculi, David Suzara, Robert Gabutan, Rodrigo Gabutan, and Jacqueline Du-imboy faced the Regional Trial Court for arraignment on the graft charges filed by the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas.

The former barangay officials were indicted by the anti-graft office for violation of the Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

The case stemmed from the barangay’s procurement of P6.2 million worth of seedlings of various fruit trees and P245,000 worth of pipes and garden hoses without a competitive bidding.

The procurement was funded through the pork barrel of then Cebu City south district Rep. Antonio Cuenco. It was allegedly intended as livelihood project for the residents of the barangay.

Faelnar, Semilla, Suzara, and the two Gabutans were charged with three counts of violation of Section 3 (e) of the R.A. 3019 for allegedly giving unwarranted benefits to WM Sprout Center and Win Marketing.

Du-imboy was charged with two counts while Baculi is facing only one count of the same case.

The anti-graft office found out that the accused failed to publish the procurement in a newspaper or post the same on the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System as mandated by law.

Lawyer Julius Caesar Entise, Faelnar’s legal counsel, said his client is innocent of the charges.

“Based on my review on the case, the law procurement act was relatively new at that time and there is likelihood that a mistake can be committed. So far as my client is concerned he has no participation whatsoever other than the purchase and the shopping which we are confident that we can justify,” Entise told the media.

RTC Judge Estella Alma Singco has set the pre-trial of the cases for April 23, 2015. All accused were out on bail. (FREEMAN)