The Office of the Ombudsman is set to file criminal charges against three former members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) of Zamboanga Sibugay, for falsifying documents to claim reimbursements from the “Aid to the Poor” program of the province in 2001.
Facing indictment for Malversation thru Falsification and violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act are SP members Leonardo Lagas, George Castillo and Galwas Musa. Also charged are provincial employees Lourdes Pontanar, Ruel Alpas, Flordeliza Triambulo, Noel Sigasig, Fe Pontanar, Jonnie Garnica, Rex Tago, Richelle Tan, Rafael Querubin and Arnel Pague.
The Commission on Audit (COA) reported that Castillo, Lagas and Musa prepared and approved disbursement vouchers and falsified supporting documents to claim reimbursements totaling P95,099.00 from the “Aid to the Poor” program. In their liquidation, respondents claimed that financial aid ranging from P1,000 to 5,000 was provided to their constituents. Upon verification by COA, the listed beneficiaries could not be located.
Respondents claimed that the beneficiaries “provided them with wrong addresses.”
In the Resolution, “it is apparent that respondents were actuated with the dishonest purpose to appropriate the fund intended as aid to the poor which sufficiently manifests the existence of evident bad faith.”
Documents disclosed that respondents “contributed to the misuse of the “Aid to the Poor” funds,” and in conspiracy with each other, committed Malversation of Public Funds thru Falsification, and violation of Section 3(e) of R.A. No. 3019 for causing undue injury to the government through evident bad faith, manifest partiality, and gross inexcusable negligence,” the Resolution pointed out.###