Lapu barangay officials on trial for malversation of funds

The barangay captain and treasurer of barangay Looc in Lapu-Lapu City are facing cases of malversation of public funds in the city’s Regional Trial Court.

Barangay captain Mateo Dungog and Rosela Oyao, Looc barangay secretary were charged by the Ombudsman-Visayas before RTC Branch 27 for falsification of public documents and overpricing of appliances they purchased using public funds inin December 2009.

The two officials posted bail of P188,000 each for three counts of graft and corruption cases filed against them.

The anti-graft office alleged there were ghost purchases of 148 sacks of rice worth P236,548 on Dec. 22, 2009 overpricing of a 3-ton air conditioner, a stand fan and water dispenser on Dec. 28, 2009; and overpricing of a television set and refrigerator also on Dec. 28, 2009.

The two baranregay officials leased P122,512 for the aircon, stand fan and water dispenser, when these appliances only cost P49,000, defrauding government of P75,312, according to the charge filed by the Ombudsman-Visayas.

The TV set and refrigerator was bought using P31,286.40 from barangay coffers when their actual value was only P23,000, or an overprice of P8,286.40, according to the anti-graft office.

Lapu-Lapu City RTC branch 27 Judge Toribio Quiwag set a pre-trial conference on Nov. 7 and Dec. 4, 2012.

Ombudsman-Visayas graft investigator and prosecutor Yvette Christine Labrador-Soleng filed the case against the two official last March.

She said there was “sufficient ground” to believe that the anti-graft law was violated by the two barangay officials.

The Ombudsman-Visayas investigated the case based on audit reports of Antonio Arriesgado and Aniceta Pilapil of the Commission on Audit.

In the complaint, Soleng said the barangay officials failed to properly account for the money they disbursed , resulting in “damage and prejudice of the Government, particularly of barangay Looc, and the detriment of public interest.”