Ex-Basilan mayor faces graft raps

A former mayor of Sumisip, Basilan and two other town officials are facing graft raps for securing a P2 million personal loan in 2010 using the municipality’s funds.

In a press statement on Wednesday, the Ombudsman announced the filing of charges against former Sumisip mayor Haber Asarul, former municipal treasurer Camlian Borjal, and former municipal accountant Marad Abdulkarim for using public property (funds) for private purposes.

Investigation showed that in 2010, Asarul directed Borjal and Abdulkarim to obtain a P2 million loan for him from a certain Almashour Alibasa. Asarul secured the obligation by issuing two checks under the town’s Landbank of the Philippines’ account, with the help of Borjal and Abdulkarim.

“Undoubtedly, without their respective positions, respondents could not have orchestrated a scheme of issuing postdated checks and [the] municipal accountant’s Advice of Local Check Disbursements that meddled with the municipality’s funds,” the Ombudsman said in  its resolution.