Clavel, 6 others sued at Sandigan

CEBU, Philippines - Two cases were filed before the Sandiganbayan against former congresswoman Clavel Asas-Martinez, two of her children and four other officials.

The Office of the Ombudsman approved the filing of the case for malversation of public funds and violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act before the Sandiganbayan.

The accused in the cases are Clavel and her son, former Bogo mayor Celestino “Tining” Martinez III, Tining’s sister Maria Cielo Martinez who was treasurer of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines (GSP), Bogo treasurer Rhett Minguez, accountant Cresencio Verdida, bookkeeper Rhodariza Kilantang and Girl Scouts of the Philippines-Cebu Council cashier Julieta Quiño.

Prosecutor Myla Teona Teologio recommended a bail of P40,000 for the malversation of public funds for each official.

The FREEMAN tried but failed to contact the accused.

Based on the complaint filed, the acts were allegedly committed between September and October 2003. The accused “helped each other” in the misuse of P10 million in government funds.

The P10 million was taken from Clavel’s Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel in 2003. It was donated to GSP-Cebu, of which Clavel was president from 1995 to 2003.

The investigation conducted by the Office of the Ombudsman found that the amount was deposited in Clavel’s personal account with the Bank of Philippine Islands, to the “damage and prejudice to the government.”

On September 17, 2003, P11.5 million of Clavel’s PDAF was released through a Land Bank of the Philippines check with the GSP as payee.

Later, Quiño applied for a manager’s check in the same amount at Land Bank of the Philippines-Bogo City, with the payee listed as GSP or Ma. Cielo.

Further investigation revealed that on October 20, 2003, the P11.5 million was deposited to the BPI account of GSP.

However, one week later, the amount was withdrawn by Ma. Cielo and was deposited to the BPI account of Clavel.

Based on the investigation, the P1.5 million was erroneously released as part of Clavel’s PDAF when it was actually a fund for the Bayan Muna party-list.

The P1.5 million was then returned by the GSP to Bogo City, while the P10 million remained unaccounted for.

During investigation, the accused claimed the P10 million was already returned to the government’s coffers in 2005.

However, graft investigator Teologio said “it still does not discount the fact that public funds were embezzled and appropriated for personal use.” —(FREEMAN)