Mayor faces raps for using gov’t funds to build private resort

For using taxpayers’ money to build his own resort, an incumbent mayor of a town in Surigao Del Sur is set to face graft and malversation charges before the Sandiganbayan.

The Ombudsman has found probable cause to indict Tago mayor Rogelio Pimentel and barangay captain Herminigildo Reyes for malversation and violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

According to records, Pimentel used 286 sacks of cement and 280 steel bars intended for barangay Unaban to build his own private resort.

READ: Raps readied vs mayor who used gov’t funds to pay own expenses

In Jan. 2014, Pimentel with the consent of Reyes took the materials which were intended for the construction of a solar dryer.

Pimentel even broadcast over a local radio station that he used the materials to build his private resort.

The Ombudsman ruled out Pimentel’s defense that he took the construction materials to save these from flood, and that he intended to replace the materials anyway.

“(Pimentel) opted to utilize the materials for personal purposes despite the fact that (they) were public properties,” the Ombudsman said in its resolution.

It added that “the attendance of bad faith, manifest partiality, or gross inexcusable negligence is apparent in respondent’s blatant disregard for the rules concerning the use of public properties.” 

Under the Revised Penal Code, malversation is a criminal offense of using public funds or property for any other purposes other than which it was appropriated for under the law or ordinance.

Meanwhile, under the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, graft is a criminal offense of giving undue advantage or causing injury to government or a private party. IDL