Town worker in Northern Samar loses P1.03-M in gov’t funds

Northern Samar. INQUIRER FILES

TACLOBAN CITY – A disbursing officer of the municipal government of Lope de Vega in Northern Samar lost P1.03 million in government funds to an alleged robber on Wednesday, May 8.

Veronica Ongsotto, 58, had just withdrawn the amount from the Land Bank of the Philippines branch in Catarman, the provincial capital, and was on her way to a nearby fast food chain when the lone suspect, forcibly grabbed her shoulder bag containing the money, the local police of Catarman said in its report.

The amount was intended for salaries of the job order workers of the municipal government of Lope de Vega, about 23 kms away from Catarman.

READ: Robbers snatch P100,000 payroll money in Quezon

The police added that the lone suspect, who was wearing a black pants and a black jacket, immediately fled using a motorcycle as his getaway vehicle.

The local police are conducting further investigation on the incident.