Deputy Ombudsman Rodolfo Elman speaks about high-ranking government officials in Mindanao who were involved in graft practices and criminality in a press conference in Davao City on Wednesday, July 20. (Medel V. Hernani/davaotoday.com)
DAVAO CITY— The Office of the Ombudsman in Mindanao claimed it has processed cases involving some high-ranking government officials here due to graft and corrupt practices and criminal acts.
In a press conference on Wednesday, Rodolfo Elman, Deputy Ombudsman of Mindanao said that they have filed cases against six mayors, eight municipal councilors, a prosecutor, and several other high-ranking officials in Mindanao.
“For the first six months this year, we have a total case of 1,302 cases and solved 474 cases,” Elman said.
Elman said that facing criminal indictment are Governor Douglas Cagas of Davao Del Sur , the incumbent mayor Oscar Moreno of Cagayan de Oro City, Mayor Reynaldo O. Parojinog Sr. of Ozamis City, former Libertad, Misamis Oriental Mayor Alberto Acain, Mayor Alex Wangkay of Jose Abad Santos, Davao Occidental who were charged for violating Section 3 of the Anti-graft and Corrupt Practices Act (Republic Act No. 3019).
He said Former Mayor Romeo Januto of Norala, South Cotabato faces graft raps over a P1.8M fertilizer fund scam procured in 2005 and Mayor James Y. Joyce of Jose Abad Santos, Davao del Sur who was charged for grave threats and slight physical injuries punishable under articles 282 and 266, respectively, of the Revised Penal Code on October 19, 2014. According to a press release from the Office of the Ombudsman, Joyce stopped the complainant and his passengers while en route to Digos City.
Elman said that the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB-MIN) also ordered the indictment of Alfredo Panerio, David R. Yangyang, Bonifacio D. De Chavez, Vincent F. Fernandez, Elmer P. Campañanes, Frederick M. Juban, Edgardo D.Tilud, and Dante L. Lausa—all Sangguniang Bayan members of Matanao, Davao del Sur– for violating Section 3, RA No. 3019.
Elman also named Zamboanga’s Deputy City Prosecutor Roselyn S. Mamon together with private practitioner Atty. Phermans S. Saiddi who were caught offering money to PO3 Flaviano A. Enriquez, Jr. in an entrapment operation.
In Davao Region, the Ombudsman filed criminal charges and dismissed nine employees of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for falsification of public documents in relation to the construction of bunkhouses for the families hit by typhoon Pablo in 2012 in Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental.
Dismissed were Assistant Regional Director for Administration Mila T. Segovia, Administrative Officer III Raffy S. Mag-Aso, financial analysts Ricardo Abad II, Marife S. Tan, Cris Anne T. Pormento, Mary Jane M. Adlawan, Pompa A. Bandigan and consultants Ma. Annabelle S. Jabla and Santos M. Eusebio Jr.
Elman said that they also dismissed Vice Mayor Monic G. Waling-Waling of Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat from the service for nepotism and Cabayan D. Bacar, Provincial Agrarian Reform officer II and Abubakar M. Usman, municipal agrarian reform officer of the Department of Agrarian reform provincial office- Maguindanao “for their serious dishonesty and grave misconduct.”
He said that they already placed under preventive suspension for six months without pay the Municipal Mayor Elvino B. Balicao Jr. Of Wao, Lanao del Sur “because of his involvement in the so-called ‘Wao massacre’.”
The “Wao massacre” is the killing of children and women including several civilians at a Moro community in Sitio Mangampong in Barangay Park Area, Wao town in Lanao del Sur on April 25, 2015.
In Tagum City, Davao del Norte province, Elman said that they invited for investigation Provincial Treasurer Regina Ricafort, Provincial Budget Officer Norma Lumain and Provincial Legal Officer Edwin Salvilla for violation of anti-graft and corrupt practices act.
Meanwhile in Davao City, Elman said that they charged criminal case against Barangay Captain Joveto Salazar together with Barangay treasurer Elsie Fallega of Barangay Paciano Bangoy in Agdao who will be charged with malversation with the amount of P1.124 million.(davaotoday.com)
