PB clears ex-Sibonga mayor from raps

CEBU, Philippines – The Cebu Provincial Board has dismissed for lack of evidence the administrative complaint against former Sibonga town Mayor Lionel Bacaltos.

The Provincial Board’s (PB) committee on complaints and investigation ruled that Bacaltos is “not administratively liable for the offenses charged.”

The case stemmed from the complaint filed by Municipal Councilor Mary Joejie Chan on October 5, 2015, accusing Bacaltos of violating Republic Acts 3019; 6713; and 7160 for allegedly appropriating for himself, in the form of an honorarium, Philhealth funds that were intended for their constituents under the Per Family Payment (PFP).

Chan said that the PhilHealth regional vice president wrote a letter to Bacaltos on May 28, 2012 informing him about the release of the PFP, which will fund the primary care benefit services of identified poor residents of the municipality.

In February 2015, Bacaltos submitted a request for the funds, representing 20 percent of what PhilHealth gave, for honoraria for the town’s health workers amounting to P280,197. Attached to the request was a list of recipients, which included Bacaltos who collected P17,512.50 in fees.

In a resolution, the committee, however, said it found no evidence to prove the former mayor’s wrongful acts for allegedly listing himself as recipient of fees meant only for municipal health workers.

The complainant, the committee said, fell short of the required quantum of proof for her complaint to be sustained.

“We stress that mere allegations are not proof,” it added.

According to the committee, Bacaltos alleged that it is apparent, if not crystal clear, that the complaints of Chan were just “malicious, baseless and obviously political in nature.”

The committee is chaired by Provincial Board Member Raul Bacaltos, an ally of the former mayor in the Liberal Party.

Ironically, the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas recently indicted Bacaltos for graft over the same allegation. Chan, a former health worker, filed the same complaints against Bacaltos before the Ombudsman in October 2015.

He accused the former mayor of using his influence to be included on a list of recipients of fees or honoraria from PhilHealth funds. PhilHealth had sponsored a health care program and gave funds to the town.

But the committee said the allegations that Bacaltos used his authority to persuade, induce or influence the disbursing officer, the treasurer, and other public officers to include him in the list of health personnel who received the capitation for personnel honorarium are mere allegations and no proof was adduced to prove them.

It was not also established as to how Bacaltos influenced the said municipal officers, the committee said. —/FPL (FREEMAN)