‘File raps against former Customs collector’

THE Office of the Ombudsman in the Visayas has indicted a former collection oficer of the Cebu Port Authority (CPA) on charges of malversation of public funds.

Manuel Gilbuena Jr. was held liable by the anti-graft office for allegedly incurring a cash shortage of P346,655.43 when he collected port dues at Madridejos town in 2005.

Although Gilbuena is no longer in government service, the Ombudsman Visayas still found probable cause to recommend the filing of criminal charges against him.

Graft investigation and prosecution officer Irish Inabangan Amores said the respondent couldn’t evade liability for acts committed while he was still working in the government.

On Sept. 13, 2005, the Commission on Audit (COA) received an information from the CPA’s Internal Control Division about the respondent’s audit of accountability.

Rosemarie Segura, head of the statistics unit of CPA, said she learned that there were two ships that regularly docketed at the Madridejos port.

However, Segura said she didn’t see any document to prove that the two ships paid port dues to CPA.

She claimed later she found out that the two ships paid port dues based on several original official receipts issued by the respondent.

The entries on the original receipts, however, were completely different compared to the entries on its duplicates. The amount on the original receipts was P399,232.20 while the duplicates showed only P52,576.77.

COA then recommended the immediate relief of the respondent.

In his counter-affidavit, the respondent said the complaint was purely based on allegations.

However, the anti-graft office decided to indict the respondent for failing to rebut the accusations./ADOR VINCENT S. MAYOL