Ex-brgy execs plea 'not guilty' on graft charges

CEBU, Philippines – Not guilty — this was the plea of former barangay captain Rubino Sabanal and former barangay treasurer Adriano Obatay of Bairan, City of Naga, Cebu, during their arraignment last week for malversation of public funds and Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act charges.

Assisted by a pubic attorney, Sabanal and Obatay denied the allegations filed against them. Sabanal and Obatay are scheduled for mediation on November 21, 2014.

The Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas has earlier filed the cases before the court after finding probable cause against Sabanal and Obatay.

Graft investigation and prosecution officer II Portia Pacquiao-Suson recommended P30,000 bail for temporary liberty of each accused. Both posted the recommended bail through surety bond.

Suson said based on the evidence, the accused were conniving and mutually helping each other with deliberate intent, issued, signed and encashed barangay checks in the total amount of P432,000, despite the absence of the corresponding disbursement vouchers and supporting documents to the damage and prejudice to the government.

She said though the accused denied the allegations filed against them, she held them for trial after they failed to substantiate their claims.

"Without the supporting documents showing that the disbursements were for a public purpose and with respondents' failure to account for the barangay funds despite the lapse of more than five years from the time of the audit on December 31, 2008 up to the present, there is sufficient ground to conclude that respondents used the said amount of P432,000 for their personal benefit," the resolution read.

The pre-trial of the case is set on February 3, 2015.