The Office of the Ombudsman has dismissed Cortes, Bohol mayor Apolinaria Balistoy on charges arising from the use of falsified and dubious official receipts and certificates of attendance to secure reimbursement of expenses for purported trainings in 2010.
Apart from dismissal, respondent was also meted the accessory penalties of perpetual disqualification from holding public office, cancellation of eligibility, forfeiture of retirement benefits, and bar from taking civil service examinations. In case of separation from the service, the penalty is convertible to a fine equivalent to respondent’s one year salary.
Balistoy was found guilty of Serious Dishonesty, Grave Misconduct and Falsification of Official Document. Investigation disclosed that Balistoy defrauded the government by obtaining fraudulent certificates of attendance for four training modules from May to October 2010. These certificates were used to obtain reimbursements for travel and training expenses totaling P155,789.00. However, the Field Investigation Office (FIO) as complainant, presented documents that Balistoy attended meetings in the provinces instead of the trainings in Metro Manila. The FIO said that “it would have been physically impossible for respondent to have been at three different and geographically distant places all on the same day.” The FIO added that no travel authorities were issued for Balistoy to attend the trainings.
Upon audit, the Commission on Audit said that the “reimbursements for the payment of expenses for seminars and trainings were irregular.”
Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales said that “(Balistoy’s) actions evince intent to commit material gain.”
She added that “in light of these testimonial and documentary pieces of evidence, it is reasonable to conclude that (Balistoy) knowingly claimed reimbursement for training expenses where no fees were entailed in the first place and used ORs issued for another purpose to claim reimbursement for the modules.” ###