Suspended Negros mayor faces charges

BACOLOD CITY—The Ombudsman has approved the filing of charges against a suspended mayor and three other officials of Escalante City in Negros Occidental province for illegal use of public funds to cover travel expenses.

Named respondents in a resolution approved by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales on Dec. 21 last year were Escalante Mayor Melecio Yap, treasurer Wilfredo Ruiz, budget officer Roy Caralde and acting city accountant Arnulfa Donoso.

The four were suspended for 90 days by the antigraft agency on Dec. 30 for simple misconduct in connection with an administrative case involving similar charges.

Technical malversation

Yap’s lawyer, Ariel Malunes, said on Friday that he had already filed a motion for reconsideration of the Ombudsman’s resolution, confident that it would see the “error” in its decision and dismiss the charges against his clients. They have not committed any wrongdoing, he said.

The resolution stemmed from a criminal complaint of technical malversation filed against Yap and the three department heads on Dec. 10, 2009, by then Escalante council members Armando Alcos, Evelyn Hinolan and Teresita Flores.

Travel of SP members

The complainants said the four had participated in the issuance of disbursement vouchers and signed checks for the travel of Sangguniang Panlungsold (SP) members and non-SP personnel, charged against the council’s budget for operational expenses, which is supposed to be under the jurisdiction of the vice mayor.

Their acts were “tantamount to applying the public funds for another purpose other than which it is intended,” the Ombudsman’s resolution said.