Northern Samar, Leyte mayors face raps

MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Ombudsman has filed criminal charges against the mayors of Palapag, Northern Samar and Isabel, Leyte.

Palapag Mayor Manuel Aoyang, Councilor Eleno Calot and municipal council secretary Emil Go were recently charged with falsification of public documents for making it appear that a resolution and the minutes of a special session identifying various anti-poverty projects in the town were approved by two other councilors in February 2015.

Records, however, showed that Councilors Sonia Evardone and Anacorito Javier were absent during the special session and did not participate in the deliberations on the resolution.

Meanwhile, graft charges were filed against Isabel Mayor Saturnino Medina Jr., his wife Nolette and municipal administrator Perla Brebante in connection with the alleged anomalous procurement of vehicles by the municipal government in August 2010.

The ombudsman said Medina and his wife sold their Kia Pregio for P546,000 to the municipal government when its market value at the time was only P396,000.

Brebante, on the other hand, allegedly sold his Mitsubishi Pajero for P648,500 when its market value was only P600,000.