Former Marine commander faces graft, malversation for missing allowance

MANILA, Philippines—The Sandiganbayan third division will hear the graft and malversation charges against relieved Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda and four former Marines accused of misusing P36.8 million in public funds supposedly for combat clothing allowance in 1999.

According to the information filed by the Ombudsman, Miranda, Jeson Cabatbat, Adelo Jandayan, Felicisimo Millado and Edmundo Yurong unlawfully misappropriated at least P36.768 million in public funds intended for the payment of combat clothing and individual equipment allowance to active Marine soldiers in 1999.

The suspects supposedly made it appear in payrolls and other documents that the Marine soldiers received such funds but it never reached the intended beneficiaries.

The officials face malversation charges through alleged falsification of public documents.

Miranda was the former commander of the Marines who was relieved in 2006 on suspicions that members of an elite Marine unit was cooking a coup plot against former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

The relief of Miranda resulted in a standoff at the Marines headquarters in 2006 led by Col. Ariel Querubin supposedly to protect the officers removed due to the foiled coup. The standoff was also an attempt to defy the state of emergency imposed by Arroyo amid fears of a coup. RC