Ex-Iloilo mayor, 6 others indicted for alleged funds misuse

MANILA, Philippines - The Office of the Ombudsman has indicted a former Iloilo town mayor and six others after failing to properly spend funds used in the celebration of the Saug Festival in 2008.

Facing Malversation of Public Funds through Falsification of Public Documents charges were former Lemery town mayor Mildred Arban-Chavez, former Executive Assistant Limwel Arban, Municipal Accountant Riza Lee Candelario, Municipal Budget Officer Isidro Parica, Officer-in-Charge Municipal Treasurer Melanie Peniero, Teacher I Pelcy Galino, and Freddie Cuarte.

Records showed that Committee on Audit of the Sangguniang Bayan of Lemery, Iloilo probed the P150,000 cash advance granted to Chavez in connection with the Saug Festival.

The COA Regional Office for special audit examination discovered that the breakdown of transactions covered the following: P21,000 payment to Galino for rental of tables, chairs and curtains from Lemery National High School (LNHS); P37,000 payment to Cuarte for rental of video camera; and P18,000 payment to a certain Ramie Belarga for rental of generator set.

Cuarte, however, denied having rented out his video equipment but admitted to having signed a voucher for the liquidation of the P37,000 rental payment.

On the other hand, the principal of LNHS said that the school received P58,000 but denied having rented out the school’s table, chairs and curtains, as P21,200 from the money received was used to purchase items from the market for food preparations.

COA State Auditor III Lily Nava issued a Credit Notice dated April 16, 2009, informing the local government officials that out of the P150,000 cash advance, P132,000 was suspended while P18,000 was disallowed.