Kalinga mayor fined P2,000 over unliquidated cash advances

MANILA, Philippines — Mayor Alfredo Malannag Jr. of Pasil, Kalinga has pleaded guilty to a lesser offense to avoid the litigation of the malversation charges filed against him over his unliquidated cash advances amounting to P503,920.16.

In a decision dated Oct. 12, the Sandiganbayan’s Second Division said Malannag pleaded guilty to failure to render accounts under Article 218 of the Revised Penal Code.

With his voluntary admission of guilt, Malannag was instead ordered to pay a fine of P2,000 and return to the municipal government the amount of his unliquidated cash advances.

The case stemmed from Malannag’s cash advances from July to September 2001 totaling P626,000, of which P503,920.16 remains unliquidated.

The Office of the Ombudsman said failure to account for the missing amount was tantamount to misappropriating or taking it away for his own personal use.