DAR exec in graft raps for hotel stay of woman who’s not his wife

An official of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Davao Oriental faces two counts of graft for allegedly using public funds for the hotel night stay of a woman who was not his wife.

In a statement on Thursday, the Office of the Ombudsman said it has ordered the filing of two counts of violations of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act against suspended Provincial Agrarian Reform Adjudicator Romeo Covarrubias.

The Ombudsman said Covarubias caused undue injury to government when he spent government funds for the hotel night stay of a certain Lynnete Abarro.

The Ombudsman said Covarubias allowed Abarro to be accommodated overnight at a hotel room paid for by DAR during official functions.

“Not being an employee of the DAR, Abarro was accorded unwarranted benefit when she was accommodated in rooms which were supposed to be for DAR employees,” the Ombudsman said in its resolution.

The Ombudsman also suspended Covarrubias for one year after he was found guilty of Disgraceful and Immoral Conduct, and frequent unauthorized absences.

The Ombudsman’s investigation showed that Covarrubias, who was married, cohabited with Abarro, also married, whom he introduced as his spouse.

Covarrubias also incurred unauthorized absences from May to December 2013.

According to Section 3(e) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, public officials are prohibited from causing undue injury to any party or the government, or giving any private party any unwarranted benefits, advantage or preference in the discharge of his official administrative or judicial functions through manifest partiality, evident bad faith or gross inexcusable negligence. JE/rga