Ex-MWSS exec sued over P26k

MANILA, Philippines–A former top official of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) could face up to six years in prison for his alleged failure to account for P26,652 in cash advances.

In a statement, the Office of the Ombudsman said it had filed criminal charges against former MWSS Deputy Administrator Cristeto Dinopol Jr. for three counts of violation of Article 218 of the Revised Penal Code.

Under the law, public officials may land in jail or pay a fine of up to P6,000 for failure to liquidate cash advances two months after receiving the money.

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales said Dinopol did not offer any explanation for how he spent P26,652 in cash advances for official trips to Cagayan de Oro, Bataan and Pampanga, in 2011.

Morales said the Ombudsman discovered Dinopol’s liabilities following an audit conducted by the Commission on Audit on the accumulated cash advances of employees and officials of the MWSS Regulatory Office.

She said the MWSS sent a demand letter to its former official in February 2013, asking him to settle his unliquidated cash advances within 15 days.

However, Dinopol “failed to heed without any explanation,” according to the Ombudsman.–Marlon Ramos