"No calamity happened during the period as the date indicated in the release of the said funds nor were calamity-related projects undertaken."
By: MARIFE M. DORONA
SINACABAN, Misamis Occidental -- A Sangguniang Bayan member here has filed a complaint at the Ombudsman-Manila against town Mayor Dello T. Lood, municipal budget officer Lalaine C. Tan, and municipal treasurer Aurora Lagaac for alleged illegal disbursement of the town's five percent calamity fund, Tuesday morning, November 10, 2009.
Sinacaban town Sangguniang Bayan member Maria Elena Pailden, a polio victim and chair of the Committee on Good Governance and Transparency filed a complaint against Sinacaban town Mayor Lood, budget officer Tan, and treasurer Lagaac, for the alleged commission of the following:a. Violation of R.A. 8185 for alleged illegal withdrawal and disbursement of Calamity Fund;
b. Alleged commission of the crimes of Malversation of Public (Revised Penal Code) and the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (R.A. 3019).
SB member Pailden's complaint against the above-mentioned persons spawned from the alleged release of funds from the five percent (5%) Calamity Fund of the municipal coffers amounting to P216,200.70 early this year.
Attached to her sworn statement submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman, Quezon City, were photocopies of three (3) checks in the amount of P102,564.00; P45,700.50, and P67,936.20.Based on this complaint the P102,564.00 check paid to Mindanao Rock for construction materials and also P45,700.50, while the P67,936.20 was supposedly paid for the diesel fuel for the use of LGU vehicles for the month of April 2009.
Pailden said that no calamity happened during the period as the date indicated in the release of the said funds nor were calamity-related projects undertaken.
It is very clear, that no calamity happened in Sinacaban since February up to July 2009, Pailden said.The SB has been discussing this matter since early October this year, council Pailden said, and it is also noted that there was no approved resolution from the SB authorizing the release of the above-mentioned calamity funds, Pailden added.
SOURCE: Gold Star Daily, 21-22 November 2009




