Laguna mayor dismissed over ‘fake’ documents

SAN PEDRO CITY—The mayor of Famy town in Laguna province has appealed a decision of the Office of the Ombudsman finding him guilty of grave misconduct and serious dishonesty in relation to his participation in a convention on Boracay Island in 2010.

Municipal administrator Jun Calin, speaking on behalf of Mayor Edwin Pangilinan, said they found the penalty “too harsh” for an offense that involved an amount of “only” P22,400.

In a seven-page ruling signed by Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon Gerard Mosquera on Aug. 9, Pangilinan was ordered dismissed from the service with the accessory penalties of cancellation of eligibility, forfeiture of retirement benefits and perpetual disqualification from holding public office.

‘Spurious’ documents

The case stemmed from a 2016 complaint filed by former Mayor Renonia Muramatsu.

Muramatsu also filed a separate case of falsification of documents against Vice Mayor Gertrudes Andaya. The case against Andaya is still in a local trial court.

Muramatsu said Pangilinan and Andaya, who were both former councilors, each received P22,400 in cash advance when they attended the Continuing Local Legislation Educational Program (CLLEP) convention on June 24 to 26, 2010, in Boracay.

However, upon liquidation, the officials, according to the complaint, presented “spurious” documents such as the official receipt and the certificate of appearance to the convention.

In his counteraffidavit, Pangilinan said he only “defer[red]” liquidating the amount because he and the rest of the councilors at the time “entrusted” their money to then vice mayor Melvin Laminero for the purchase of their plane tickets, accommodation expenses and registration fees.

But Laminero, in a phone interview, denied taking any of the councilors’ money.

Aside from Laminero, Pangilinan and Andaya, six other municipal councilors and the Sangguniang Kabataan representative also attended the 2010 convention. Only Pangilinan and Andaya were charged.

“The elemental components of corruption and clear intent to violate the law are present to constitute the acts complained of as grave misconduct,” the ruling said.

It added that Pangilinan committed serious dishonesty “when he made it appear that he attended the CLLEP in the falsified official receipt and certificate of appearance, manifesting his disposition to defraud or cheat the government in the amount of P22,400.”

Calin said they filed a motion for reconsideration on Tuesday after receiving a copy of the decision last week. —MARICAR CINCO