Liloan VM to accusers: Check records

CEBU, Philippines - Liloan Vice Mayor Lucelito Pilapil has challenged his accusers to check records and said the complaint he fa-ces for allegedly failing to liquidate funds is but a retaliation for the case he filed against Mayor Duke Frasco.

Five councilors in the town filed administrative charges against Pilapil for grave abuse of authority, grave misconduct, gross negligence, serious dishonesty, violations of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

Pilapil said he has already settled the P36,000 and challenged anyone to check the matter with the treasurer’s and accounting offices.

“Naa may record sa Liloan Accounting office kung kinsay naay cash advances ug kinsa sad ang wala kabayad dili man na matago. On my part, taudtaud naman nako na nga gi-settle. Even 1 centavo wala man koy cash advances sa Lilo-an,” he said in a text message sent to reporters.

Quoting a record from the accounting office, he said it is actually his accusers – councilors Thelma Jordan, Lurgio Cañete, Vidal Cañete, Edna Cala, and Francisco Comendador III – who have unliquidated cash advances, which even barred them from attending a meeting on December 4.

The councilors filed the complaint against Pilapil after the latter filed a case against Frasco before the Provincial Board over the alleged “irregular” distribution of P3 million worth of scholarship grants.

The councilors alleged Pilapil “misrepresented” that he attended a meeting and a summit organized by the Philippine Councilors’ League but actually did not.

Pilapil allegedly obtained cash advances amounting to P13,440 and P23,100 for his travel expenses for the two events scheduled August 20 to 22,2015 and September 9 to 11 in Bacolod City and Boracay, respectively.

The councilors said they learned later that Pilapil was not present in either of the two events.

“He provided no explanation for his absence. We found it highly irregular that Vice Mayor Pilapil did not attend the (PCL Summit and Board meeting,” the councilors said in their complaints, alleging that Pilapil never returned the money.

Pilapil was Frasco’s ally in One Cebu Party but he jumped ship to the Durano-led “Barug Alang sa Kauswagan ug Demokrasya” party.

He will be running for mayor against Frasco’s wife, Christina Garcia-Codilla, daughter of former governor and current third district Representative Gwendolyn Garcia.  (FREEMAN)