Barangay chief, 5 councilmen face anti-graft charges

The graft investigators of the Visayas Ombudsman are now conducting a probe against the barangay captain of Basak-San Nicolas and five of his councilmen who were accused of graft and corruption in a complaint filed yesterday by their former barangay secretary whom they earlier had fired reportedly for inefficiency and loss of trust.

Named as respondents in a complaint for violation of Republic Act 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, are barangay captain Mario Susaya, and councilmen Miguel Sanchez, Rita Tamarra, Felipe Lovitos, Manuel Condevillamar, and SK chairperson Charisse Macaranas, as well as barangay treasurer Dolores Bacatan.

The village chief was implicated in eight separate criminal complaints, but he welcomed the filing of charges against him, saying he is very willing to face the complainant, Gregory Libron, whom they dismissed effective January 31.

Susaya said they were already fed up with Libron's sloppy work attitude and inefficiency in his job, despite privileges granted him ranging from buying him a new computer, a motorcycle for his mode of transportation and even providing him with two personnel who could assist him in his work.

But Libron argued he has no derogatory record during his stint as member of the Lupong Tagapamayapa from 1997 to 2001 and as barangay secretary from 2001 until the time that he was dismissed.

He believed that Susaya and the rest of the respondents dismissed him due to his "concern for the transparency in all barangay transactions and activities particularly involving the release of barangay funds."

In his complaint, Libron accused Susaya of graft and corruption when he released P105,305.00 for the "ghost repair" of the barangay garbage compactor (GT-086) and barangay garbage truck (SFR-488).

Libron said a garbage daily monitoring report by the Department of Public Services showed that the truck was used everyday to haul garbage in the barangay during the February to March period last year and that it would be impossible to believe that it was subjected for a repair. Susaya said he will verify his records.

Susaya and the barangay treasurer were also accused by Libron of illegally deducting P200 from each of the barangay employees' P5,000 cash gifts for the year 2004 and 2005.

Libron supported his accusation by presenting signatures of those barangay employees whose cash gifts were deducted P200 reportedly "to be given to the person who processed the payroll and other documents at the City Hall."

But Susaya clarified it was not a compulsory deduction, but was made voluntary.

The barangay officials said they will answer all the accusations of Libron once they will receive the order of the graft investigators directing them to submit their counter-affidavits. - Rene U. Borromeo