A former mayor of a town in Iloilo is set to face graft charges for issuing a business permit to a drugstore he owns.
In a statement, the Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the filing of two counts of violation of Section 3(h) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act against outgoing Dingle Mayor and now Sangguniang Bayan member Rufino Palabrica III due to conflict of interest.
The Ombudsman in a resolution said Palabrica in 2013 issued a business permit and lease contract to Farmacia Francisca, a drug store and medical clinic he owns.
Documents showed that Palabrica signed the lease contract dated Jan. 2013 both as a lessor and a lessee.
According to Section 3(h) of the Republic Act 3019, it is considered a criminal offense for a public officer to have a direct or indirect financial or pecuniary interest in any business, contract or transaction which he or she intervened or took part in connection with such interest. IDL/rga
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