The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the indictment of former Majayjay, Laguna mayor Victorino Rodillas for violation of Article 218 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC) for failure to liquidate a cash advance for the purchase of supplies. In October 2002, Rodillas was granted P100,000.00 as cash advance drawn from the municipality’s general fund.
Based on Commission on Audit (COA) Circular No. 97-002, Rodillas should have liquidated the cash advance in January 2003. Records show that it was only in 2006 when the funds were accounted for.
Article 218 of the RPC penalizes any public officer, whether in the service or separated therefrom by resignation or any other cause, who is required by law or regulation to render accounts to the Insular Auditor (now Commission on Audit), or to a provincial auditor and who fails to do so for a period of two months. ###