The former barangay captain of Basak-San Nicolas is now facing criminal charges before the court for allegedly accepting monetary consideration from a private business establishment during his incumbency in 2006.
Assistant Ombudsman Virginia Palanca-Santiago said former barangay captain Mario Susaya violated Section 7 (d) of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for public officials and employees.
Complainant Gregory Libron, who used to be the secretary of the barangay, managed to support documentary evidences to prove that Susaya received financial personal donations from the manager of a footwear company based in barangay Basak-San Nicolas.
Libron was fired by Susaya, with the concurrence of the barangay council in 2006, due to inefficiency and loss of trust, but Santiago said while there may be gripes that Libron had against Susaya, such is not a basis to disregard his complaint.
Susaya said they were already fed up with Libron’s inefficiency, saying he could not accomplish his task despite the privileges granted to him ranging from buying him a new computer unit, issuing him a motorcycle for his means 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 he was dismissed.
He believed that Susaya dismissed him due to his “concern for the transparency in all barangay transactions and activities particularly involving the release of barangay funds.”
While Susaya admitted having received a monthly P500 cash donation from the manager of Island Footwear Manufacturing Corp., he explained that he spent the said amount for snacks of the barangay workers and for the benefit of his constituents.
Footwear company manager Alex Chua clarified that the donation was not for the barangay, but for the personal fund of Susaya.
Santiago disapproved the recommendation of the graft investigator who handled the investigation of the case that there is no probable cause to hold Susaya criminally liable for accepting such donation because the company has no previous or pending matter or transaction with the barangay.
While Susaya claimed he also gave the money he received to his constituents, Santiago observed that the receipts were undated and that one of these showed that one of those granted with financial assistance was Victoria Mahinay, but it was only on February 12, 2007.
Santiago said that because the footwear company has its business address in barangay Basak-San Nicolas, the firm had and will need clearance from the barangay and may have transactions which may be affected by the functions of the respondent’s office, such as the payment of taxes.
Libron also complained against Susaya and other members of the barangay council for allegedly releasing P105,305 for alleged repairs on the barangay garbage compactor and the barangay garbage truck which were never done.
He 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 from February to March 2006 and that it is impossible for it to be under repair at the time. — Rene U. Borromeo/MEEV