Camotes port collector faces corruption charges, dismissed

AN employee of the Cebu Ports Authority will be facing before the court 34 counts of malversation of funds suit.

The Office of the Ombudsman in the Visayas ordered the filing of cases in court against Danilo Sultan for 34 counts of malversation of public funds through falsification of public documents.

Sultan, a special collection officer of the Cebu Ports Authority Camotes Island, northeast Cebu was also ordered dismissed from civil service.

In her decision, graft investigation and prosecution officer Irish Inabangan Amores found probable cause to indict Sultan before the court.

“Respondent (Sultan), being responsible for the collection of those missing funds and in fact had duly signed the official receipts for the collections made, is at no doubt be held answerable for the same,” said Irish Inabangan Amores, graft investigator and prosecution officer of the Ombudsman.

The case stemmed from a complaint filed by former CPA general manager Angelo Verdan.

A team composed of CPA employees conducted an audit in April 2009.

In falsifying the official receipts for COA, CPA official receipts issued by Sultan reflected much lower amount compared to the actual collection he made to port users.

At least two regular Camotes Island port users submitted testimonies to this effect.

CPA requested Sultan to account for the missing funds. However, he failed to do so.

In his reply to COA, Sultan allegedly apologized for his misdeeds and expressed willingness to pay for the lost funds.

But in his counter-affidavit submitted to the anti-graft office, Sultan denied the allegations.

He said another employee, Geneses Cunanan, was sent to Camotes to help him sometime in 2005.

Since he was the regular employee of CPA, Sultan said he was tasked to sign the receipts.

He said he pre-signed blank receipts to be used by Cunanan after the respondent’s work from 4 am to 12 noon.

However, the anti-graft office didn’t give credence to Sultan’s defense.

The 34 counts of malversation filed against Sultan represented the 34 official official receipts involved in the commission of the alleged crime. /Ador Vincent Mayol, Reporter