Ex-mayor ‘perpetually dismissed’ for selling his car to gov’t

Office of the Ombudsman. NOY MORCOSO/INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

The Ombudsman dismissed from service former Labason town Mayor Wilfredo Balais of Zamboanga del Norte for facilitating the sale of his car to government at a higher price.

In a statement, the Ombudsman said it has dismissed from service Balais after finding him guilty of grave misconduct and serious dishonesty.

The Ombudsman also meted out the penalty of perpetual disqualification from public office, cancellation of eligibility, and forfeiture of retirement benefits.

The Ombudsman investigation showed that Balais sold his Nissan Patrol to a certain Eduardo Ayunting for the price of P500,000 in Nov. 2010.

On Jan. 2011, Ayunting then entered into a contract with the local government of Labason to sell the same vehicle for a higher price of P960,000.

The deed of sale was signed by then vice mayor Virgilio Go.

The Sanggunian in Aug. 2011 passed a resolution rescinding the contract for being disadvantageous to government.

“(A)s the vehicle’s previous owner, respondent Mayor knew that the price was exorbitant having sold it two months earlier at a much lower price,” the Ombudsman said in its decision.

“In fact, if (Balais) is truly concerned, he should have warned the respondent Vice-mayor not to proceed with the sale, yet he did nothing until the sale was perfected,” the Ombudsman added.

The Ombudsman also said the acquisition of the vehicle was not in accordance with procurement laws.

The Ombudsman also suspended for three months without pay Municipal Accountant Christy Buganutan and Municipal Treasurer Melchor Chipoco, who were found guilty of neglect of duty for processing the disbursement voucher and the check for payment of the vehicle.

The Ombudsman had earlier indicted Balais, Go and Ayunting for graft. TVJ